After I retired, I wanted to find a volunteer opportunity that would offer me a complete change from teaching high school English.
Whales had always fascinated me, but I didn't know very much about them. When I visited the Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, I discovered that there was a training program for prospective docents that would teach me about these magnificent mammals of the sea.
After I became qualified, I spent several days a month showing visitors from all over the world around the small museum. On some days, I would be posted outside the building with a "whale wagon." On the patio that overlooks the Pacific, census takers would watch through their powerful binoculars to count the whales as they passed. It was always a thrill to see the spouts off shore, and sometimes the graceful flukes of the whales as they dove into the deep to feed on krill.
It was such a joy to meet all kinds of people and share what I had learned about -- not only gray whales, but other whales such as the blue, humpbacked, and right whales. I also learned quite a lot about the history of the area from the mammoths that used to roam the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the Sepulveda and Domingquez families, and the nearby Point Vicente Lighthouse. It was the kind of volunteer opportunity that was rewarding.
After my arthritis and back pain made it difficult for me to stand for long periods, I became a Rolling Reader. This allowed me to use my skills as a teacher. Each week, I visited an elementary school in Redondo Beach and read to a fourth grade class. I was free to choose books I thought they would enjoy. Often I chose books that coordinated with the teacher's curriculum. Other times, I found wonderful books that coordinated with the holidays, including Channukah and Kwaanza.
In both of these volunteer opportunities, I felt I received more than I gave because I learned a lot, and sharing it with others has given me great joy.
~ From Lindie in Redondo Beach
Whales had always fascinated me, but I didn't know very much about them. When I visited the Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, I discovered that there was a training program for prospective docents that would teach me about these magnificent mammals of the sea.
After I became qualified, I spent several days a month showing visitors from all over the world around the small museum. On some days, I would be posted outside the building with a "whale wagon." On the patio that overlooks the Pacific, census takers would watch through their powerful binoculars to count the whales as they passed. It was always a thrill to see the spouts off shore, and sometimes the graceful flukes of the whales as they dove into the deep to feed on krill.
It was such a joy to meet all kinds of people and share what I had learned about -- not only gray whales, but other whales such as the blue, humpbacked, and right whales. I also learned quite a lot about the history of the area from the mammoths that used to roam the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the Sepulveda and Domingquez families, and the nearby Point Vicente Lighthouse. It was the kind of volunteer opportunity that was rewarding.
After my arthritis and back pain made it difficult for me to stand for long periods, I became a Rolling Reader. This allowed me to use my skills as a teacher. Each week, I visited an elementary school in Redondo Beach and read to a fourth grade class. I was free to choose books I thought they would enjoy. Often I chose books that coordinated with the teacher's curriculum. Other times, I found wonderful books that coordinated with the holidays, including Channukah and Kwaanza.
In both of these volunteer opportunities, I felt I received more than I gave because I learned a lot, and sharing it with others has given me great joy.
~ From Lindie in Redondo Beach