Volunteer?

It really shouldn't surprise me anymore when I notice some of the coincidental things in my life!  Yesterday I noticed that the daisies were beginning to bloom, so I had planned to get some more pics today, but different angles (and mostly the buds, not opened blooms).  Then I remembered I should check on the volunteer sunflower that had come up under another bird feeder.

And wouldn't you know, that sunflower is almost in full bloom, too.  Nothing odd about that, except that this past week, I offered my services for two volunteer opportunities.  Blooming volunteer sunflower, and I submitted applications to volunteer . . . bizarre!

 Yes, I have applied to volunteer for Goodwill Easter Seals as a reader for their visually impaired subscribers; they have special radios for those who can no longer read the printed word, and then offer regular radio programming of different periodicals being read (some live, some taped).

The other volunteer work would be with Dogs for the Deaf, but probably not on a regular basis (they are not local).  I found out about them from a service dog and her family that I follow on Facebook (Hattie's Helpers).  Hattie is a chocolate lab who is a hearing dog for her "Momma," Jen; Hattie alerts Jen to sounds like the phone or a knock on the door or the timer going off or the dryer buzzer sounding.  They work as a team and take care of each other.  Hattie has also picked up other sounds that she wasn't trained to alert Jen on - one being that irritating emergency broadcasting system testing alert.  Dogs for the Deaf rescues dogs from shelters and trains them as hearing service dogs.  There is typically a long wait for dogs, so the more the word gets out about them, I'm hoping the quicker they can get MORE dogs and get them trained and out for service.  Oh, and if the dogs turn out to not be the right fit for hearing dogs, they do not return them to the shelters; they take care of adopting them out!  I can't imagine what it must be like not to hear the things I take for granted.  Jen has said that she really didn't sleep well most nights because of all of the things she was afraid she might miss hearing while she slept - a smoke alarm, the phone, etc.  She credits Hattie with allowing her to relax a little and really begin to enjoy life and not worry so much.    Getting the word out about service dogs for the deaf?  Sounds like a lot of fun to me!

These daisy buds are so compact, it doesn't seem possible that they can hold the bloom that eventually unfolds.  How?!?!

I'm hoping that my new volunteer opportunities will also bloom into wonderful experiences that I enjoy in addition to helping others.  I'm looking forward to learning all kinds of new things and meeting new people, starting Tuesday, October 16th.