Summary

      Another month has past, and it is now February. Not much has changed or happened since last month's entry, as not a lot happens in a small community like mine. Mr. Lundrigan and I still go door to door to collect the cans filled with change for our Church and cemetery. Most people over look this volunteer work, as it is a small activity that only involves two people (me and Mr. Lundrigan). But as small as it is it is still important to the community and it shouldn't be overlooked at all. I myself have learned lots of things over the time I have spent helping Mr. Lundrigan. I've learned how to be organized, how to plan ahead, and how to use patience efficiently. Though they may not look it, these are important skills that all good leaders of any group should have! If a leader doesn't have these skills things in their group will go haywire, and very rarely will anything be accomplished. I myself use these skills on a daily basis, for things like my  homework to snowmobile riding with my friends. As for using these skills as a leader during the volunteer work, I'll be honest, I rarely got to do seeing Mr. Lundrigan was in charge and the whole process and activity consisted of himself and I. But I do use these skills in school when I am the leader of a group for a group project in Chemistry or World Religions. And I now feel a lot more comfortable being in charge of a group and addressing plans and tasks to the other members of the group. More importantly though this volunteer activity helps my Church, which I feel proud of. Seeing my community has a current population that is less than two-hundred, it is important that those in the community who do care about the Church do as much as they can to support it, which is why Mr. Lundrigan started the Church can idea in the first place. By collecting and delivering the cans we can support the Church and keep it up and running, which insures that the Church is there for those who need it. So that is that. This is the summary of my Horizons Service Learning Activity blog, and I hope it shows how and what I have learned from collecting the Church cans with Mr. Lundrigan. Though this is the last entry for this blog(for now) I will still continue to work with Mr. Lundrigan, and will continue to support my church.

Have a good one,
Nicholas Martin

Third Entry

       January, the beginning of a new year, the worst month of winter many people will say, and earlier the month was my birthday! (license soon!). Though there will be some changes in my life as this year progresses, there are still things from last year or even years before that still follow me through life. I still have my religion, my family and friends, my love for videography and technology, and my volunteer work with Mr. Lundrigan. Though I am still part of the cemetery can collection progress, me and Mr. Lundrigan have not gone out collecting cans in awhile now. The reason for this is the fact that it takes a period of time ranging from a few weeks to a few months for the cans to fill up taking in the fact people usually fill them up by puttnig a penny or two in a day. But this helps to learn a very important leadership skill: patience. A good leader does not rush  their tasks, they take time to either wait or to think things over before making a decision or action. This ensures the best results with whatever it is they are setting out to do. In me and Mr. Lundrigans case, waiting for the cans to fill up allows us to concentrate on other things in our lives (in my case school), it gives Mr. Lundrigan the opportunity for the amount of money gathered form the cans to be calculated and recorded, and results in more money  in the cans when Mr. Lundrigan and I collect them. Patience is something that can be used everywhere in life, from a leopard in the African plains waiting for the right moment to attack its prey, to a man fly fishing waiting eagerly to catch the fish of the season. I have learned a lot from this, and have learned to become more patient in everyday things from school to editing videos for customers. Patience is something everyone in life will have to learn eventually, but everyone can improve on it. This is all for this months entry, and I am eager to find out how much there will be gathered in the next can collection. Hope everyone had a good holiday!

Till next time,
Nicholas Martin