Undergraduate student Jessica Yarely traveled to Mexico on a volunteer trip to impact the lives of local families with the help and supplies from friends and family.https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/maurice/1002/thumbnail.jp

Flores, Jessica Yarely

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Western Oregon University: Digital Commons@WOU

Western Oregon UniversityDigital Commons@WOUMaurice Undergraduate Initiative Prize Student Scholarship2014Positively Impacting the Lives of Others (MexicoService Trip)Jessica Yarely FloresWestern Oregon UniversityFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/mauriceThis Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Digital Commons@WOU. It has been accepted for inclusion inMaurice Undergraduate Initiative Prize by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@WOU. For more information, please contactdigitalcommons@wou.edu.Recommended CitationFlores, Jessica Yarely, "Positively Impacting the Lives of Others (Mexico Service Trip)" (2014). Maurice Undergraduate Initiative Prize.2.https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/maurice/2Jessica Yarely Flores   Positively impacting lives of others  I believe in the act of volunteering and helping people who need it the most. I also believe in helping others for my own peace of mind, because long-term satisfaction and happiness comes from altruistic actions. Throughout high school to college, I have volunteered at many places throughout my community for example Hood River health department, Red Cross blood drive, elementary schools, Alan Smith Insurance, and the Christmas project. Each time I felt happy with myself because it is a good feeling to know that you can impact others’ lives. In all cases, I have received back more than I have given. This brought in feelings that are always incomparable.   Ever since my childhood and visits to Mexico, I have discovered in my true self being a certain compassion and innate desire to help others. I desire to help people have a positive change in life -even if it is a small impact. The joy that I acquire when people I help appreciate my efforts to a positive impact in my community has truly benefited and made me pursue a career in the medical field. A problem that I have always wanted to tackle and change is helping the homeless, especially families in need, and the elderly. I wanted to help people who need assistant to live a better tomorrow and make them feel like they have someone in this world who cares about them and will reach out to them. I wanted to positively impact others with a humble action. Working on this project was a true challenge as time and effort was the key to make it happen. I learned that if you really have a desire to do something with the support of family and friends you will find a way to accomplish your goals. I also learned that it is important to take time and to help or listen to others because by doing that you can put a smile on their face and could even change their life’s. I have learned that I have those skills and those things I do or say have brought many new friends in my life. A change in someone's life can be so small you don't notice it in the exterior until you deeply reflect on the experience and the attitude of others. Doing this project I encountered many obstacles in order to move forward every day -time was one of them. I had finals to study and time to spend with school work. With the help of my family and community I able to do what I have always wanted to accomplish. My idea was to collect cans and ask family and friends to contribute to a donation and to sell Papa Murphy coupon cards. The money raised would be used to buy fleece fabric to make blankets and buy some essential non-perishable food. I also, asked for donations to business and collect any sort of item they were willing to donate to give people as a Christmas gifts. I was able to educate and check glucose blood levels and with the money raised I was able to buy a glucose meter with a 1 year supply of lancets to give away. I believe educating people with simple tests like these will prevent a chronic situation to occur that will then end to an emergency visit to the hospital. While I was in Mexico, I was also able to visit a retirement home and spend time with the elderly and give them each a blanket. Seeing their face brighten up made my and their day because barely someone goes to visit or give them gifts. They were especially content to have someone to talk to and make them laugh and dance.   This three-day road trip was a success and I am glad I had this opportunity; it made me value more the things I have. Even though, it was a last minute decision my parents made going to Mexico and I had less than two weeks to prepare I was able to help many homeless families and help the elderly during my Winter break. It was a challenge because every day I would make phone calls, send emails and pick up donations while I was attending school. I received great support asking for donations and about 15 businesses were willing to help. Not everyone who I talked to was nice but did learn to be patient and respect each thought. I collected 10 big bags of clothing, backpacks, blankets, notebooks, and lots of toiletries. I received in donations more than I was expecting. I never imagined how many businesses would help me out in short notice. The outcome of my project is that everything went great and was a success. I am truly grateful with all the help I received and I thank my parents for purchasing a trailer to take my donations two-thousand plus miles away to accomplish this project.  Jessica Yarely Flores  My recommendation for future endeavors is that if they have a desire to do something to not think about it twice and do it. If you really want to know where your destiny lies, look at where you apply your time. Time is the most valuable asset you don’t own. You may or may not realize it yet, but how you use or don’t use your time is going to be the best indication of where your future is going to take you. I recommend that when you work hard at something you become good at it. When you become good at doing something, you will enjoy it more. When you enjoy doing something, there is a very good chance you will become passionate or more passionate about it. When you are good at something, passionate and work even harder to exceed and be the best at it, good things happen. Don’t follow your passions, follow your effort. It will lead you to your passions and to success, however you define it.  

Positively Impacting the Lives of Others (Mexico Service Trip)

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Positively Impacting the Lives of Others (Mexico Service Trip)

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