BRISTOL, Va. – More than a dozen parents came to the People Incorporated head start center Friday to watch a special program on Asian New Year celebrations.
Center Director Glenda Payne would like to see that kind of turnout on a regular basis – to volunteer their time.
“We’d love to have this every day,” Payne said. “We advertised this, but we’d love to have some more people come every day. We’d like to build the number of volunteers.”
In addition to shouldering some of the load of the center’s four teachers, the volunteer hours – whether helping in classrooms, reading to children or working in the kitchen – equates to funding. The center receives the equivalent of one hour minimum wage pay for each hour of volunteer service.
Last year, the Bristol center had to give back about $12,000 because its volunteer hours fell below the required level. A summer program has also been cancelled due to reduced funding, said Virginia Gunn, a nine-year center volunteer and the center’s unofficial volunteer coordinator.
“We need volunteers. It can be the simplest thing. It’s your time,” Gunn said. “I read to the children. It’s so important because it prepares them for the rest of their lives and gets them ready for kindergarten,” Gunn said.
Located on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the center currently serves 77 children between the ages of 3 and 5. Admission is based on parental income and all services are provided at no charge.
Marcella Woldsmit, whose two children attend the head start center, regularly volunteers her time.
“I’m here from 8 o’clock until 2 o’clock every day. I help the teachers in the classroom,” Woldsmit said. “They do a remarkable job here.”
Woldsmit said she loves helping.
“Children learn through play and fun activities and they learn social skills,” Payne said.
They also receive access to special needs therapy, medical attention and go on field trips.
“We have 3-year-olds and for most of them it’s the first time away from mommy,” Payne said. “They learn socialization skills and playing with other children.”
Clustered into a classroom Friday, the children sat quietly while Denise Tran Mai talked about Asian culture, the month-long New Year’s celebration and some differences between Chinese and Vietnamese customs.
Two volunteers then donned a dragon costume and led the wide-eyed youngsters on a noisy parade through the center.
“The dragon is a mythical symbol and the noise is to drive out the bad luck. It’s all about out with the old and in with the new and getting rid of the old, bad luck,” Tran Mai said.
Gunn wouldn’t mind if some of that good fortune rubbed off on the center.
“It is something to see the faces of these children. And no money in the world is worth more than a hug,” Gunn said.
dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532
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