More Than Community Service: A Way of Life.

By Karla Páez

I recall accompanying my father to the hospital and watching him treat and care for patients and coworkers. I would see everyone fill with joy when they saw him; and they would tell me how much they appreciated him and were grateful for how he treated them. Then, while I was still in elementary school, I recall visiting, occasionally, my friend’s grandmother’s nursing home, where we would help around with tasks and watch how they cared for the elderly. During this period, I also recall my elementary school’s excursion to a specialized school for neurodiverse children. I dare say, these experiences and my Christian education sparked my calling to help others. Which could have influenced why I was known as the “class’s angel”.

Once in middle school, I had a friend that struggled with major depressive and suicidal episodes, and I would be there for her and insisted in her value and importance as a human being. (Thankfully, she has worked a lot on her mental health and is still with us to this day). Then, during high school, the school had mandatory community service hours (that I gladly exceeded). However, for me it was the perfect excuse to participate in community service activities. I recall the time we handed out food for the homeless, marched for cancer awareness, prepared gifts for children in

Haiti, and many other things that I truly wanted to do. Which also could have influenced why I was nominated to with the Saint Francis Award at the school graduation. All those years, I had an intuitive feeling that I was meant to do this type of initiative and work for the rest of my life. 

Then I went to the college, where I did a bachelor’s degree of arts in psychology. During this time, it was a bit difficult to participate in a lot of ‘extracurricular’ activities. However, helping others one way or another had already become part of my lifestyle. As part of one of my courses, I made a research proposal to benefit the elderly population in nursing homes with music related programs. Then I took an introductory Music Therapy course, in which we also visited a nursing home and a hospital. These events confirmed, once again, that I wanted to dedicate my life to this type of work. 

However, once I graduated, I was not sure what I wanted to do, until I saw an advertisement about a program of Master of Science in Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders. As soon as I saw it, I was like “Yes. This is it.”. During the program, I had a professor that was recruiting volunteer assistants for equine therapy sessions. Once again, I was like “I have to do this”, and I’m glad I did. Participating in those sessions and watching the progress of the children we worked with was truly an amazing experience. It also helped me confirm that I also wanted to specialize in School Psychology. Don’t get me wrong though, I still have a special place in my heart for the elderly. Which is why I focused my master’s dissertation on the elderly with autism population. 

With this new awakened passion, I started doing my second Master of Science. This time in School Psychology with Specialty in Neuropsychology. During this time, I continued volunteering at the equine therapy sessions. Sadly, the academic load became too much, and I had to stop. On the other hand, I began my first practicum where I worked with children in the Special Education System. This was a life changing and ‘slap in the face’ experience. Seeing firsthand the problems of the system, the mistreatment of the professionals, the poor quality of the services given to the children and their families… It woke up another calling within me. I must become a voice for the children, the families and the professionals that deal with this every day. At the same time this was happening, I was also participating in a competition, where I was introduced to the world of gardening and harvesting. This sparked another calling: the use of gardening as a therapeutic approach. 

Then, during my second practicum, I had to work with depression and anxiety crisis in adolescents in the school environment. It impacted me how, in some of the cases, I was the first person to ever tell them that they were appreciated, how much they mattered and that they were not alone. Seeing them get better and work on their self-esteems helped me confirm, once again, that I was in the right path. And now, I have graduated, but can’t practice as a psychologist yet, because I must acquire the state license. However, until that happens, I am developing what is right now my Community Service Initiative for the Miss Puerto Rico competition, which is called Cosechando el Ser (in English, Harvesting the Self). 

And I say “what is right now my Community Service Initiative” because it is a project I want to develop for the rest of my life. I am planning on turning it into a non-profit organization in the next months. Cosechando el Ser will start as a practice and promotion for the use of gardening as a therapeutic approach and sustainable practice. It will also become a bank of resources for vulnerable communities. And last, but not least (this is only the beginning), bring support to pregnant women and people dealing with grief. Just as I keep improving, growing and progressing, I have truly learned that “you are what you sow”. How you talk to yourself, how you treat others, what you consume, how you act, and your environment will influence your growth and harvest. Likewise, just as the seasons change, so do we. And no matter the storms or weather we might face, we can always be resilient and continue growing. 

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Karla Páez is the current Miss Juncos (PR). You can follow her on her Instagram.

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.

The Importance of Community and How Volunteerism Can Change Your Life! - A Guest Blog From Danielle Stephenson

Photo Gretchen Pingley

Do you ever wonder how communities keep going? Local government, tourism, marketing, and even infrastructure development plays a part in keeping communities intact! Something many people overlook is the volunteers who give their time to their communities every day. Volunteers are often described as the backbone of communities. They take care of the “behind the scenes” work that keeps social and educational programs running! Volunteers are the support system we often see but don’t fully recognize. The volunteer in my life was my grandmother, Shirley. I always knew she was doing something, but for years, I didn’t know that she was volunteering her time for local families in need, veterans, and children. It wasn’t until I helped her with a service project that I understood why communities are important.

As I helped my grandmother shop for Christmas gifts for a local family, I just thought that she was helping her social club do something nice. I helped package and deliver the gifts to the family, and that is when I learned why communities are critical to well-being. They were so grateful that they had their community behind them. Our world seems so focused on the individual. I never thought that communities really stood behind their neighbors and pitched in when people needed help. It seemed like something you read in books or saw in movies, but never in real life. Growing up in a small rural town, it was easy to hear about people in need and they always seemed to magically be okay. Communities are so much more than towns comprised of strangers who never speak to one another. Communities are like a puzzle. Every piece is important, and when one piece is missing, the puzzle isn’t the same. We all play a critical part in our own community, whether we realize it or not!

Volunteerism changed my life in ways that I never thought it could. Not only did it lead me to the Miss America Organization, but it changed me as a person. I learned to appreciate the little things, work with people who are different than me, and respect various worldviews. So how can volunteerism change your life? How ever you allow it to! It’s proven that people who volunteer report having a better outlook on life with less stress and increased feelings of belonging. You can make a difference in your community by giving your time just one hour per month! If you have a hobby you love, try using that hobby to give back to your community. It adds no time to your schedule, makes an impact, and provides an enriching outlet for creativity and well-being. Volunteer today, change a life tomorrow (including your own)!

Danielle Stephenson

Miss Capital City 2023