This month we are featuring a heart warming piece from one of our dedicated Community Volunteers. We were lucky he put pen to paper and shared this with us.
This is Gary’s story:
In the early part of this summer I decided to take a break from the corporate world.
It was following a pretty challenging six months, setting up my own business and completing my diploma in executive coaching. The gap left me with some spare time so I was looking for something meaningful to do.
I came across South Dublin Community Volunteers. I thought the work that they were doing in Citywest at the Ukrainian Refugees Reception Centre was both admirable and purposeful so I decided to join up.
My first experience of Citywest was harrowing, frightening, moving and stressful. To see hundreds of souls coming through our doors every day seeking food and shelter. To see the stress, strain and fear etched into their faces was moving to say the least.
But Citywest has also become a source of great joy, consolation and satisfaction when I saw the impact a group of volunteers can have on people who are in dire need.
This made me reflect a little on corporate life when you see what a group of people who are only united by the power of purpose can achieve together.
A group of volunteers supervised and managed by great people who work seamlessly, harmoniously and respectfully together. Who work in dire circumstances with processes that are far from perfect but yet they achieve everything they set out to achieve.
In my time in Citywest I can see the power of purpose. I will certainly take this back into my corporate life when this task is finished.
God bless the hundreds of souls who pass through our doors every day. Where we work very diligently to shelter them, feed them and find a place for them to stay in the most beautiful parts of Ireland, where I am sure they will be welcomed with open arms.
I hope they find peace and comfort and someday return to a peaceful and free homeland.
Slava Ukraini
