Omayra Acevedo, Gilpin County. We all spend our time differently. Some of us spend most of our lives working, some find themselves traveling rather than settling down in one place, artists paint, sing, create or write, students go to school, retired persons do what they want; then, there are the few that do things out of the kindness of their hearts. They are offered nothing in return except the hope that what they are choosing to do with their time is somehow helping someone else. 

Two hundred and twenty-three boxes were prepared the day before the Gilpin County Food Bank Thanksgiving rush. Yes, you guessed it. All done by the warmest hearts in our community; our volunteers. It was Tuesday, the 24th of November, right after a small snow storm, around 1:30 p.m. Vehicles began lining up to graciously receive their holiday boxes. In a matter of minutes two lanes of cars flooded the parking lot, wrapped around the curve and out into the road. Each one receiving turkeys, butter, produce, baked goods, and even food for their pets. 

A little sugar plum fairy told me that some volunteers packed their own vehicles to deliver to those who could not make it to the food bank that day. I, too, volunteer and it never fails. Anytime someone looks right at me with a gentle face and says thank you so much, I can’t help but get teary eyed. Sometimes, it’s just the wave of a child in the back seat, or the bark of a dog on the passenger side. 

The thing is, need isn’t only during the holidays or during a pandemic. Need is yearlong and all over the world. If you’ve been considering volunteering, I highly recommend it. Not only will the experience fill you with warmth, but you will be humbled at how many of your fellow neighbors are in need of your help.

The Gilpin County volunteers are not just doing this for the holidays. You can find them at the Gilpin Food Bank year-round, giving their time freely and without complaint. Your time is your life. They say that the best gift you can give anyone is time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a part of your life that you will never get back. Remember this next time someone offers you their friendship, support, or even their heart. They’re not just offering you time. They are offering you a piece of their life.  

http://www.gilpincounty.org/departments_offices/human_services/emergency_assistance_and_food_assistance