Volunteer session at Noblesville Indiana food pantry provides unexpected pleasure!

A quest to perform a good deed turned into a lesson in humility when I recently volunteered my services at Third Phase food pantry and shelter in Noblesville Indiana.

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t the ramshackle house with a distinct odor of age and in desperate need of paint. Nor was it the lack of fanfare for a new volunteer. And it certainly wasn’t the suspicious stares that greeted me as I was introduced to some of the residents. I’m embarrassed to say that I think what I was expecting might have been gratitude, which is certainly not in the spirit of volunteerism!

Anyway, I was put straight to work – not in the safe confines of the office as I’d requested, but lining shelves in the food pantry. If it was a test I think I at least passed and perhaps surpassed expectations, which I’m sure weren’t very high anyway.

I actually enjoyed the challenge of neatly applying decades-old shelf liner to warped and uneven boards. But the bigger surprise turned out to be how much I enjoyed the stories of my workmates.

Lydia, 20ish, cleared up a lot of things when she asked if I was there for community service or to volunteer. I’m guessing everyone else I passed in the hallways was wondering the same thing! I probably disappointed and confused her by confessing that I was there of my own free will, but she was still nice enough to answer all my questions. She was there as part of the 40 hours of community service she’d been ordered to perform. She was so young and cute I couldn’t imagine what she’d done to earn the sentence, and quite frankly I didn’t want to know…so I didn’t ask. What I did learn about Lydia is that she was turned down by a half dozen churches before Third Phase agreed to let her serve her time there. They just didn’t need volunteers, those other places told her. A church that doesn’t need volunteers? Really? Maybe at that point I should have inquired about the nature of her offense, but I didn’t. I also learned that she and her boyfriend are saving money to move to Santa Barbara and that she’s never seen the ocean. Never seen the ocean? Have I ever met anyone who’s never seen the ocean?

Tim, 40ish, lives near the ocean. He just can’t get home. His vehicle conked out on the way home from a trip to visit family in Fort Wayne and since he doesn’t believe in owing anyone anything (Have I ever met anyone who doesn’t believe in owing anyone anything?) he’s taking refuge at Third Phase until he can land enough handyman jobs to have his vehicle repaired and return to Florida. In the meantime, he’s lending his talents to the shelter overseeing much-needed improvement projects and ridiculous volunteers. He painted the pink hotel in St. Petersburg, FL, that my family has visited many times, and he has excellent taste in classic rock.

I went to my volunteer session hoping to feel better about myself afterward, and I actually did. I don’t think it had much to do with my efforts, though. It was more about meeting people who I didn’t – and still don’t – have much in common with but who were gracious and interesting and who have been on my mind since I left.

I’m really hoping Lydia and Tim both make it to the ocean.

Third Phase is Hamilton County’s largest shelter and food and clothing pantry. It is located at 15755 Allisonville Road. Visit www.thirdphase.org or call 317-773-5100 for more information. Donations are always needed!

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Pat Haddad, ABR, CRS, e-Pro, GRI
Haddad Team
317-840-7555
pat@haddadteam.com