On Duty

In spreading the love this Valentine's Day, I went out and did community outreach through Service Saturday. This month's activities involved working with the Great Downtown Ithaca Chili Fest, where organizations and restaurants give out chili. 

Amidst the snow and cold air, I was excited! It was my very first chili fest and I got to help out. My initial reaction to the event was beyond belief. With so many people crowding each vendor, I couldn't wait to experience an annual Ithaca event. With that, I got assigned to volunteer as a patrol officer of some sort. 

My duty was to patrol the sidewalks and make sure that no one jaywalks through the street or organize the lines in a way that it wouldn't spill out onto the street. At first I thought the task was quite simple. I mean, I'm just being a security guard, right? 

Easy enough for me to say. I had never acted as a security guard for anything or anyone (well, unless you consider babysitting to be just that). The first 15 minutes went by without any problem, except for the fact that I started off extremely embarrassed to be wearing a neon vest while holding a neon orange flag. People were staring, and I was not comfortable with that. 

Since I was on duty for 3 hours, I figured time would fly by without me noticing. But that was not the case. In fact, time took forever to pass. 

After about an hour of standing along the sidewalk, my whole body felt as though it was frozen. I could not feel my fingers and toes. I wondered how security guards stand outside for so long in all seasons, for that matter. 

This Service Saturday experience, neither the best nor the most fun, turned out to be the most valuable. I realized how much significance I had as a duty officer when a pedestrian walked past me and told me, "Wow! You deserve a ticket for all that you have been doing. Thanks!" I couldn't believe it. I had actually made a difference in the community by patrolling the sidewalk and caring for others' safety. I felt proud for being recognized for such a small contribution. 

I now hold much more appreciation for security guards and patrol officers. They deserve a lot more respect and gratitude for all that they do. They hold out during the cold winters as they watch for people's safety and don't complain. Security guards and patrol officers provide more for us than we can ever imagine, so take some time one day to thank them. It will make them feel appreciated and might even make their day --- I know, because it made mine and I have been in their shoes. 

Photo Credit: http://www.3dwallz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/13/appreciation-can-make-a-day-even-change-a-life-copy.jpg