It's the Little Things that Matter.

At Hospitality House I had many opportunities to engage with my community through events like Savor the Summer, working daily at the food pantry, and even teaching yoga to some of the clients! My most memorable experience, however, was getting out into the field with our team of staff members and interns to help one of our clients who lived off site. It had been raining that day, and the task we were about to complete would be a messy one, heightened by the mountain weather, so we all set out in HospHouse Turkey Trot long sleeve shirts to be prepared for what we were about to encounter. When we got to the client’s house I immediately knew we had much work to do! Falling-apart trash bags as well as loose trash lay all over the porch and in front of the client’s house. One by one we ventured down the hill to the house, collected trash into trash bags, and carried those back up the hill to fill the back of the truck. As the trash bags piled high, I saw the transformation of the porch, and how people coming together can help an individual simply by clearing out their space.

Finally, the sun came out and we took all the trash to the dump, leaving only a little behind for the client to clean themselves. On our way back to the shelter, we discussed when it is our responsibility to step in and help a client and need, and when we need to encourage a client to help themselves. It made me think that sometimes we do things just for the sake of doing them in order to help others. Of course, there is still work to be done regarding the relationship between the shelter worker and client, and deciphering where our responsibilities start and end. Overall, it was an experience I will never forget and I am honored to be a part of a small change that can make a big difference.

By Emma Rogers