Long Island Cares would like to take a moment to recognize the hard work and contribution of some incredible people. We are so grateful for our volunteers and all they do for us. We couldn’t carry out our mission without them. Over the years, we’ve seen some amazing people walk through our doors and work hard to the touch the lives of those around them.
Ed and Anita Hall have been volunteering with Long Island Cares for a little over two years. They bounced around different areas of the organization before finally settling into regular volunteer roles with the “Pack It Up For Kids” program in the warehouse.
Ed and Anita primarily volunteer in the warehouse packing up boxes of food for families. Work there is a constant system of moving parts. Product is being sorted, packed, and distributed daily, but just as they get ahead of the work and move boxes of food out, new product is coming in.
“It’s like climbing a greased pole,” Ed says about the constant stream of work to be completed. Every time they move product out, there’s always something new to take its place. “I’ve never worked so hard for no money,” he said.
But there’s something exciting about the challenge for these two retirees. They are always looking to break their personal record and pack up as much as possible in one day. The day we sat down to discuss their volunteer work was, in fact, a big day for them.
“Today was our personal record. We packed 4,500 lbs of food,” Anita said after completing 3 hours of invigorating work. She’s been retired for a few years now and enjoys having somewhere to go a few hours a day. It keeps her busy, but it also fulfills her. “You can actually see what you’ve done and you know at the end, somebody is picking up a 40 lbs bag of food,” she said.
For now, they hold a new record. The number is arbitrary but the work is fulfilling. And that’s what matters for these two.
“Plus it’s a good workout,” said Ed. And regular exercise is something that’s important for everybody.
If you have somebody you would like to nominate for the volunteer spotlight, please email [email protected]