Volunteering strengthens the community. I want to introduce you to two students, Andrew Louie and Zach Gee, who do exactly this. At ACC’s Big Day of Giving Telethon on May 4th and 5th, we interviewed Andrew on his Eagle Scout Project for Boy Scout Troop 50 on building planter boxes for ACC’s Maple Tree Village Assisted Living and Memory Care facility and Zach on his volunteering at ACC’s Care Center.
Last summer, Andrew Louie built ten redwood planter boxes for the residents at Maple Tree Village to enjoy. Andrew shared that he chose ACC because his parents, family, and friends have been supported by ACC. He wanted to give back to the community and to give back as ACC has helped nurture his family and friends. Andrew chose building planter boxes because they would have a great impact on the residents and were supported by the ACC members and staff.
Building the planter boxes was a learning experience for Andrew, as he has very little experience in woodworking. Andrew wanted to make sure the style and design would endure over time, so he chose redwood for the planter boxes. He enjoyed the project and said this was a great experience overall. Andrew outreached to the ACC community to raise funds for his Eagle Scout project. He received donations and supplies and is very thankful to the ACC community for their support. Andrew thanks his coach Rich Shiraishi for coming up with the plans for the planter boxes and guiding him. Andrew is now a student at Sacramento City College and is active in his church and community. Andrew’s proud parents are John and Stephanie Louie.
On Sundays, you may see Zach Gee volunteering at ACC’s Care Center. Zach is an incoming junior at C.K. McClatchy High School and a super active member within his school community, having just been elected the president of his junior class and president of his school’s Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance. This isn’t Zach’s first-time volunteering at ACC. In fact, he started when he was just 12 years old, working the bake sale at the annual ACC crab feed and serving meals at senior dinner functions. Zach says that he always wanted to volunteer at the Care Center, but had to wait when the pandemic struck, and ACC closed its doors to visitors. Nonetheless, when things began to settle down, he reached out to the Activity Coordinator in late October of 2021 and has been helping ever since.
Zach spends about five to six hours of his Sundays at the Care Center. He transports seniors around the facility, helps prepare and conduct activities like yoga, exercise, bingo, and worship service, and ultimately tries to keep residents up and active. One of his most favorite activities is to engage in one-on-ones by taking residents on sunshine walks, conversing with and simply checking in on them throughout the day. Zach shared that there is a common response among the seniors when he asks them how they are doing: “S.O.S.” He learned that it stood for “same ol’ same,” and realized his interactions with the residents really brightened up their day. They get to see a new smiling face and sit and talk about whatever is on their minds. Zach says that as a 16-year-old, it’s incredibly rewarding and special to get to know them and learn about their long and full lives. He says that building special bonds with the seniors has truly been the best experience he has gotten out of volunteering at ACC.
We also talked with Zach’s father, Paul Gee, about his son’s volunteering. Paul says Zach has had a kind heart ever since he was little; he was always glued to his grandparents and adored them dearly. Paul specifically remembers the third time he picked Zach up from the Care Center, when his son shared that it was one of the most rewarding days of his life–all because he got to spend time with one of the seniors and learn about their life in Sacramento over the past decades. This was all a new experience for Zach and since he first started, he has doubled his shift hours. Paul noted that Zach looks forward every time to helping and spending time with the seniors, which is not typical of many teenagers. He said as Zach’s parent he couldn’t be prouder, and he thinks ACC is just the perfect place for a compassionate kid like him. Zach’s proud parents are Jeannie Cheung and Paul Gee. Zach’s mother shared with me that not only is her son the most loving child, but also the most driven. During the summer, Zach will also be volunteering at Mercy General Hospital, taking two college courses, and working his first job at Sprouts Farmers Market. Zach has a very full and fun summer ahead of him!
Andrew and Zach’s volunteerism is a perfect example of how young volunteers engage with the ACC Community and shows how intergenerational volunteering can be. If you are visiting a resident at Maple Tree Village, check out the beautiful planter boxes and, if you are visiting a loved one at the Care Center on Sundays, say hello to Zach. A big thank you from ACC Senior Services to Andrew and Zach for bringing joy to the residents of Maple Tree Village and the Care Center.
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