Volunteer

"Hi, my name is Andrew Frazell, and I am an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing, camping, hiking, scuba diving, and photography. I am an advocate for nature conservation so we can leave the earth in a better condition than we found it for our kids and grandkids. My family raised me always to play outside and appreciate my surroundings. I love adventures and travel and fully experience new places and things.

I started attending SMART meetings in November 2020. I appreciated the virtual atmosphere given COVID-19 precautions and the inability to drive. During each meeting session, I have learned so much and felt included in the virtual Center family. The positive atmosphere developed by the Center led me to want to do more and give back. I like giving back to the outdoors, and I knew I would feel the same way with the Recovery Community Center. I started small and volunteered with my dad to wash off exterior chairs. It was a simple task but helped allow the Recovery Center to begin their in-person groups. Since that first volunteer experience with the Center, I have presented vacation photography at a JAM session, been nominated and selected to become a Center Board member to help develop new events and outreach, and recently given a chance to host a virtual SMART meeting every other week.

The volunteer work I have done so far has been very fulfilling and allowed me to feel like I can do something for an organization which has helped me stay sober, feel connected, and stay on the right path in life. Volunteering has increased my happiness and sense of belonging. I encourage others to get involved. Everyone might experience different aspects or have different skills. I was able to lend a physical hand in helping to clean and use verbal skills through a presentation, but there are many opportunities to help, such as shared driving to meetings. It takes many volunteers and staff members to keep a place like the Recovery Center operating efficiently. You may not feel like you can contribute as much as you would like but know that whatever you can do is truly appreciated and has the opportunity to help someone even without you realizing it. That volunteer work or even a simple smile and asking a fellow member about their day goes a long way to keep others on the right path. Thanks for taking the time to read about my experience. I hope you have the chance to develop your own volunteering and growth journey!"