I love the volunteer and community service opportunities that exist in Morgantown, West Virginia. I find volunteering to be a great way to be an active community member and a fun way to share the nutrition knowledge I've learned throughout the years.

Volunteer Experience

October 18-19th, 2011
On Wednesday, October 19th, I volunteered at the West Virginia Diabetes Symposium and Workshop: Bridging the Gap with Education, held in the Embassy Suites Hotel in Charleston, West Virginia.  I was a moderator for the pre-conference workshop #3, “Health Literacy and Numeracy” from 8:30am-11:45am, where I helped pass out informational handouts, kept time for the speakers, and other moderator duties as needed.  I also attended “Individualization of Glycemic Targets in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Lessons from Recent Clinical Trials,” “Therapeutics for Diabetic Patients: Old, New, and Future,” and “Weight Management and Dysglycemia: The What, When, and How.”  The WV Diabetes Symposium and Workshop allowed me to meet with other healthcare professionals such as nurses, dieticians, physicians, and exercise  professionals; learn how a successful conference runs, and visit Charleston for the first time.

November 3rd, 2011
The GSNA and I prepared a meal for the West Virginia Family Grief Center, located at the Morgantown Church of Christ.  We purchased the ingredients and supplies to make a spaghetti dinner—whole wheat spaghetti pasta; spaghetti sauce with ground turkey; fresh garden salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and green onion; garlic bread; and pumpkin bars.  We cooked the meal from 5-6pm and then cleaned up at 6:30pm after the meal was served to about 30-40 parents, caregivers, children, and teens.  Those at the WVFGC appreciated our work and we as the GSNA had a good time making a difference in the community.

December 16th, 2011
On the 15th, myself and two other members of the GSNA made 55 cinnamon-applesauce ornaments, decorated them with puff paint, and then strung ribbon through them.  We also signed a Christmas card to go along with each decorated ornament.  Then on the 16th, for about an hour and a half, we personally delivered the ornaments to residents of the Sundale Nursing Home.  The residents were appreciative of our gifts, time, hugs, handshakes, and greetings of a Merry Christmas.  Those of us that passed out the ornaments and Christmas cards had a really good time as well, and the staff at Sundale invited us to do a similar project for Valentine’s day.

April 12, 2012

On Thursday, April 12th from 8:00am-11:00am I volunteered at the WVU Employee Fest, Benefits & Wellness Expo.  There were more than 1700 employees pre-registered for the event, which offered dozens of free screenings, information, and demonstrations all designed to keep WVU employees healthy.  I worked to set up the Human Nutrition & Foods booth, where employees could test their fast food IQ, guess the worst sandwich between two at certain fast food restaurants, or play a game where they could guess if the calorie content of a specific food is higher or lower than the calories listed next to it.  There was a constant line of employees at our booth, and many were surprised at what they learned. We also offered handouts that listed healthy snack ideas, healthy ranges for blood pressure, BMI, and waist circumference, and more.  There was a great turnout at the event (I even met the President of WVU, Jim Clements), and it was a fun event to be a part of!

April 19, 2012

On Thursday, April 19th from 5-7pm, a few members of the GSNA and I prepared a meal for the Rosenbaum Family House at WVU hospitals.  The Rosenbaum Family House is a home away from home for the families of patients who are 18 and over at the hospital.  It provides a low-cost alternative to hotels or long daily commutes.  We members of the GSNA made a chili-baked potato bar with toppings (cheese, chives, salsa, sour cream, margarine spreads); steamed broccoli; angel food cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries; and soda, water, and lemonade for the 20+ house guests that joined us for dinner.  They were very appreciative of our time and effort and had high praises for our chili meal. We also donated the leftover food so that families can continue to enjoy a home-cooked meal for several days after.