Refer A Friend Contest Update!

Want to win a $750 2-night Whistler package?

As announced via e-mail on January 15, NPIDA is having a "Refer a Friend" contest for NPIDA families; closing date is March 1. Thank you to Carrie for the following update:

Here is the leader board update for the Refer a Friend Contest:

Tied for 1st:
Jacquie G: 1 friend referred
Anya and Nadia B: 1 friend referred

 

Welcome to NPIDA Lauren and Stephanie!

Below is a reminder of the prize and details:.

The "Refer a Friend" contest will begin on January 20th and run until March 1st. During this time, Carrie and Mikaela will be keeping track of who refers any new dancers that register for classes.

GRAND PRIZE FOR REFERRING THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF NEW DANCERS TO NPIDA: Luxury Weekend Trip to Whistler!
Accommodation:
Option 1: Aspens http://www.theaspens.com
Option 2: The Coast http://www.coastblackcombsuites.com 

2 night package, 1 bedroom. Amenities include pool, hot tub, wifi, slope side access for ski-in ski-out on Blackcomb Mountain. Booking available April 1-August 31 2014 (prize expires on August 31/14).

PLUS Dinner for 2: $150.00 cash - restaurant of your choice
Total Value: $750.00!!

- Photo from Google Images.

Winter Ceili Ticket Deadline is Tomorrow!

 

EBIDS would like to remind all NPIDA families that the deadline for purchasing your Winter Ceili tickets is tomorrow, Friday January 31. We hope you will join us for a great family evening of food, dancing and fun!

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Saturday February 8, 6:00PM
Location: Austrian Vancouver Club, 5851 Westminster Hwy, Richmond

If you can't make it to the NPIDA studio to drop off your payment during regular studio hours, please put your payment in the North Van mail box or send it with someone who will be coming by to a class. Payment can be made in the form of a cheque to EBIDS or exact change.

If you are unable to attend the Winter Ceili but would like to make a contribution towards the raffle baskets, please bring your item or cash donation to the NVan studio or contact Andrea C or Gillian S.

Please click HERE for full details about the Winter Ceili including ticket information, as posted on January 16.

New CLRG Rules: Costumes and Make-Up

The CLRG has recently approved 3 new rules regarding costuming and make-up at Irish dance competitions. Parents of all dancers under age 10 (regardless of dance level) should make particular note of the 3rd rule below regarding a ban of make-up on ALL U-10 dancers effective March 1 2014.

Artificial Carriage Aids (4.3 in CLRG Rule Book)
4.3.3 In order to comply with health and safety measures, all dancers lining up side stage prior to any round at any competition will be required to perform the simple exercise of raising their arms to shoulder level unhindered. If unable to do this by the time of their rotation due to costume stitching or arm attachments, these competitors will not be permitted to perform. Effective immediately.

Note: This rule above appears in the 2014 World syllabus and will be enforced at the 2014 World Championships.

Costume Rules (4.4 in CLRG Rule Book)
4.4.9. All forms of dance school identification, be it by sign, shape, colour-piece, logo or symbol be banned from all solo costumes worn by any competitor in any competition.

AMENDMENT: 'Initials' and 'name' will be added to this rule, effective January 1, 2015.

Make-up Rules (4.5 in CLRG Rule Book)
4.5.2 Make-up (including false eyelashes) is not permitted for dancers, in either solo or team competitions, up to and including the Under 10 age group. Effective March 1, 2014.

2013 PMAE Recipient Profile: Jessie

 

Jessie

In the weeks leading up to the March 7/14 deadline of the 2014 Pat McAndless Award of Excellence application process, we have been featuring the 2013 PMAE award winners here on the blog. The six winners were asked by EBIDS to answer the following questions, in order to share with us a bit more about "who they are and what made them stand out to the 2013 PMAE Selection Committee".

Jessie H

$1000 PMAE Winner

Jessie is a longtime NPIDA dancer, assistant teacher and Eire Born member. She is presently 13 years old and a Grade 8 student in Richmond. She is an Open Championship dancer, and qualified for the 2014 World Championships at the recent Western Canadian Oireachtas. In fact this is Jessie's 4th time being a World qualifier; she has qualified each year since being eligible, ie... beginning at age U-10. Congratulations Jessie! 

 

1. What does winning the first annual PMAE mean to you?
Winning the PMAE award meant so much to me! I didn’t expect it, since there are so many dancers that are deserving of the award, but I was overjoyed to receive it! It made me feel really great about what I do to help the community, and it made me feel like I am a good leader. As well, it was extra special since it is Pat's award and he is a HUGE inspiration to me!

2. Can you tell us a bit about your love for Irish Dance and your passion, work ethic, dedication and persistence in working hard?
Irish dancing isn’t just my hobby, it’s more like my life! And I think lots of other dancers can definitely agree with that! Dance has definitely brought me great experiences and opportunities. I couldn’t imagine life without it! I set my goals pretty high, which means I have to work really hard. Although sometimes I don’t reach all of my goals, that just motivates me to work even harder! I have had many disappointments, but I try to learn and gain from all of these experiences so I can improve.

3. How did you initially get involved in volunteering and what was one of your first experiences and/or favourite early memories from volunteering?
I got involved in volunteering with leadership clubs at school and also with the animal shelter initially. Eire Born and teaching at dance was also part of the beginning of my volunteering.

One of my most memorable experiences from volunteering was when I did a show at a nursing home that my grandmother used to work at. The people really wanted to see me dancing, so I put on a little show for them and they loved it! They kept telling me how honoured they were to be able to see a famous dancer, which made me laugh a bit but it was really sweet of them to say!

4. What types of volunteer work did you do in the past few years that you included in your 2013 PMAE application?
I have done lots of volunteer work at school in clubs such as the Me to We club and the Leadership club. We did food drives, a penny drive for clean water in Africa, and a bake sale for cancer research. I have also volunteered at the animal shelter to care for some of the animals and walk dogs.

I have also done a lot of fundraising on my own for places such as the Children’s Hospital, food bank, and the SPCA. My neighbours and I also sponsor a family in need every Christmas, and I help out a lot with this project.

5. Can you describe what you have learned and how you have grown from doing volunteer work?
Doing volunteer work has taught me that you don’t have to be experienced or be an expert at everything to be able to make a difference in your community. Making a change can be as simple as feeding animals at the animal shelter or donating to the food bank. Since I started volunteering, I have started to take initiative more and I feel better about what I have done for the community.

6. What would be your advice to other dancers as they are thinking about applying for the PMAE award in 2014?
My advice for other dancers applying for the PMAE this coming year would be not just to find a whole bunch of volunteering opportunities to use for your application. The award is all about inspiring people to be leaders, so I think you should learn something from it! I really suggest you make it a fun experience and take time to think about what you are doing to help.

I also say you should make it part of your regular schedule to do some community service every once in a while. Remember, every little thing you do counts!

Cheryl's Oireachtas Mini Feis Photos

 

Rachel R, Lindsay A and Lucy F

Heather R, Emily M and Bryn C

 

Left: Lucy F (2nd in U-9 First Feis Reel Trophy)
Middle: Reese T (2nd in U-7 Beginner Reel Trophy)
Right: Emily M (5th in U-10 Beginner Reel Trophy)

Left: Eloise C (4th in U-10 Novice/Prizewinner Treble Jig Trophy)
Right: Avery F with her many medals

Cameron R with her grandmother and mom Michelle

 

Delaney S: 1st in 12+ First Feis Reel Trophy

Cheryl's photos from the Oireachtas Mini Feis (November 2013) as well as the DeDanaan Feis (December 2013) are now posted on her website; click HERE for a direct link. Above is a sampling of her Oireachtas Mini Feis photos. Thank you Cheryl!

Congratulations Alexis! (Blakey Feis)

Alexis

Last weekend NPIDA had just one dancer competing at the Blakey Feis in Calgary. Congratulations to Alexis B for her 3 Prizewinner medals as well as these Trophy Dance results:

6th in the 14+ Novice/Prizewinner Treble Reel Trophy
4th in the U-15 Novice/Prizewinner Treble Jig Trophy

Thank you to Cheryl G for this photo of Alexis, which was taken last month at the DeDanaan Feis.

Expecting!

Thank you to Courtney for submitting the above photo. She is thrilled to announce that she and her husband Bruce are expecting their first child in July! Congratulations Courtney and Bruce!

- Photo of Bruce and Courtney taken at Mackenzie Beach, Tofino last weekend by their friend Kim.

Richmond Acoustics Improvement Project!

Thank you to Nora for submitting these photos and the following update:

Hi Everyone!
I am pleased to report that NPIDA has now completed our acoustics improvement project in the Richmond Sports & Fitness studio! After several months of negotiating and completing research with 2 different companies, Marcel and Jonathan were able to install large 'sound absorbing' curtains yesterday which cover 2 walls. 

The curtains have dramatically improved the acoustics and reduced the loud echo in the room for the greater benefit of our NPIDA dancers and instructors. I hope you enjoy the changes!

Cheers,
Nora

2013 PMAE Recipient Profile: Anna

Anna

In the weeks leading up to the March 7/14 deadline of the 2014 Pat McAndless Award of Excellence application process, we have been featuring the 2013 PMAE award winners here on the blog. The six winners were asked by EBIDS to answer the following questions, in order to share with us a bit more about "who they are and what made them stand out to the 2013 PMAE Selection Committee".

ANNA M

$500 PMAE winner

Anna is a longtime NPIDA dancer, assistant teacher, and Eire Born member. She is 14 years old and is a Grade 9 student in North Vancouver. Anna is an Open Championship dancer, and qualified for the 2014 World Championships at the recent Western Canadian Oireachtas. Congratulations Anna!

1. What does winning the first annual PMAE mean to you?
To say I was surprised would be an understatement, as there are so many talented and amazing people that belong to our school. I feel incredibly honoured to have been one of the recipients of this award. I am so lucky to have Pat has one of my supporters and I feel as though he has always believed in me. Winning this award gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

2. Can you tell us a bit about your love for Irish Dance and your passion, work ethic, dedication and persistence in working hard?
Irish Dance is my favourite thing in the whole world. I have been dancing since I was five years old and have struggled with coming out of my shell and being comfortable with being on stage. I feel so comfortable at the studio now and I love everyone I dance with, as well as feeling more comfortable performing. I realized pretty soon that if you don’t give everything you have into your dance, you probably won’t get the results you want.

My passion for Irish Dance keeps me working my hardest at dance classes and pushes me forward. I have had some tough times over the years and dance and my dance family have helped me through it. I’ve had some setbacks but it’s just made me work harder. 

3. How did you initially get involved in volunteering and what was one of your first experiences and/or favourite early memories from volunteering?
I first started volunteering at my Synagogue, working at parties and special events. I remember everyone being so thankful and appreciative, this was one of the reasons I wanted to start more volunteer work in my community. I also found out that I love working with younger kids which led to other volunteer activities I have done.

4. What types of volunteer work did you do in the past few years that you included in your 2013 PMAE application?
- SPCA: I have led a team in the BC SPCA Paws for a Cause Walkathon for the past six years, raising over $4000 to help the animals at the shelter.

- Painting the bees in studio ‘B’: I was super excited when I was asked to paint the bees in our studio. I had so much fun with it and was so honoured to have been asked. I loved being able to come up with my own design and take full responsibility for this special project. The studio is such a big part of my life, as I am there almost every day! It makes me feel very special to have had the opportunity to share one of my other passions and contribute to making the studio a happy place.

 

- "Art with Anna": Once a week I go to my old elementary school and volunteer in a grade two classroom with one of the teachers that has taught me in the past. This has got to be one of my favourite volunteering activities. I get to help the second graders with their art projects and introduce new ones, which is great because I don’t have the option to take art at my own school. The teacher has now called this part of their day ‘Art with Anna’. I also get to work with kids and build relationships.

 

- Volunteering at the Synagogue: I volunteer at the Synagogue whenever I’m needed, usually at parties and special occasions. I help with the set up, serve food and clean up when it’s all finished.

 

- Van Eire Feis: I volunteer at the Van Eire Feis every year, which involves setting up the night before and in the morning. I’ve had the opportunity to make sandwiches, hand out medals and collect the results from the judges.

 

- Teaching at NPIDA: I taught dance as a volunteer teacher with Rachel on Saturday mornings with a beginner class. This led to Nora inviting me to be a substitute teacher.

5. Can you describe what you have learned and how you have grown from doing volunteer work?
I have learned a lot about different learning styles and how to teach different people so that it makes sense to them. Last year when I was in the grade two classroom, there was a little girl who was having a lot of the same troubles as I did when I was her age. The teacher trusted me to use my experiences to help the girl and I was able to relate to her very much. I could usually make her feel better because I knew what she was going through.

I’ve learned that even though I am young, I can still make a difference in the community as much as anyone else. I’ve also learned about people skills, people will react differently because no one is the same and you must have a lot of patience.

 

6. What would be your advice to other dancers as they are thinking about applying for the PMAE award in 2014?
My advice to anyone wanting to apply for this award would be you have nothing to lose, so do it! Don’t be afraid to talk about your strengths and just be honest. Tell them about who you are and what your goal is for contributing to the community. Everyone can make a difference to a place that supports us so well.

Jessica is Going to Worlds!

 

Jessica at the 2013 Oireachtas



At the 2013 Western Canadian Oireachtas, Jessica H placed 7th in the U-20 age category; the top 5 dancers in that group qualified for the 2014 World Championships. However due to "association" rules, (for example, if your teacher or workshop teacher will be judging at Worlds), 2 of the top 6 dancers in this group are ineligible to compete at Worlds this year. Nora has confirmed that Jessica is now officially qualified for Worlds in London and will be attending. Congratulations Jessica!

Please Join Us at the Winter Ceili on February 8!

 

NPIDA families enjoying dinner at the 2013 Winter Ceili

The following information has been submitted by EBIDS:

PLEASE JOIN US!

Our 3rd Annual Winter Ceili will take place on

Saturday February 8^th!

This event is open to you - our NPIDA Irish dance families and your friends. There will be food, fun for the whole family, and dancing. Dancers at all levels will be performing! There will be raffle baskets, a 50/50 draw and a heads and tails game.

WHEN: Saturday, February 8, 2014, 6:00pm
WHERE: Austrian Vancouver Club, 5851 Westminster Hwy, Richmond BC
TICKETS: Adults/18 and over: $30. Teens age 13-17: $20. Children age 12 and under: $15. Children age 2 and under are free.
BAR: There will be a cash only bar.
SPONSORSHIP TABLES: We have a limited number of side stage tables: for an extra $100, reserve your table and be at the centre of the action with a Sponsorship Table (seating for 8 people). Please see below for further details.

As we must confirm our numbers to the Austrian Club one week before the event, deadline for ticket sales is JANUARY 31st. Tickets will not be sold at the door!

Tickets can be purchased through Carrie in North Van and Mikaela in Richmond. They can be paid for by cash or cheques payable to EBIDS.

PLEASE HELP

We require raffle basket donations, raffle basket items or cash.
If you have items or cash that you would like to donate, please bring them to the North Van studio or contact

Andrea C: davidandthegirlsAThotmail.com or

Gillian S: mgmsudsATshaw.ca

(Please substitute @ for AT).

Click HERE and HERE to view photos of the family fun that took place at the 2013 Winter Ceili!

For Sponsorship Tables: If you wish to reserve one of the stage side tables, please provide an additional cheque payable to EBIDS for the $100 cost. If there are more reservation requests than tables, we will have a lottery and draw names for the tables. Deadline for table reservations will be JANUARY 24th for planning purposes. Confirmation of your table reservation will be sent out on January 25th. Cheques will be returned to you if you do not receive a reserved table.

 

Through our communications this year we received the most positive response about this fun night – we hope you can join us again!

Family members young and old lining up
for some fun group dances at the 2013 Winter Ceili!

 

2013 PMAE Recipient Profile: Emma

Emma

As posted on December 8, EBIDS will soon be confirming details of the 2014 Pat McAndless Award of Excellence application process. In the weeks leading up to the March deadline, we will be featuring the 6 2013 PMAE award winners here on the blog. The winners were asked by EBIDS to answer the following 6 questions, in order to share with us a bit more about "who they are and what made them stand out to the 2013 PMAE Selection Committee".

EMMA B

$500 PMAE Winner

Emma is a longtime NPIDA dancer, assistant teacher and Eire Born member. She is an Open Championship dancer. Emma is 17 years old and is presently a Grade 12 student in North Vancouver. Following her upcoming high school graduation this spring, Emma is looking forward to post secondary studies at an as-yet-to-be-determined university in September 2014. Congratulations Emma!

1. What does winning the first annual PMAE mean to you?
I am very grateful to be one of the winners of the first PMAE. Ever since I began Irish dancing Pat has been an inspiring presence at shows and competitions. I feel very honoured to receive this scholarship, knowing how much talent and passion our school possesses.

2. Can you tell us a bit about your love for Irish Dance and your passion, work ethic, dedication and persistence in working hard?
I started Irish dance almost ten years ago and I can’t imagine my life without it. Not only has it brought me some incredible experiences through shows and competitions, it has also brought me some of my best friends.

I love the community feel of our dance school and I know that even if I do not reach my goals or am disappointed, I will forget about it later that night laughing with my friends. It has not always been easy to stay driven, especially when you are not reaching your goals. Whenever I am feeling frustrated I try to put everything in perspective by remembering all the amazing moments I have had with dance, and they always outshine the disappointing ones.

3. How did you initially get involved in volunteering and what was one of your first experiences and/or favourite early memories from volunteering?
My first volunteering experience was as a show captain for Eire Born when I was twelve. I remember being so excited that I was finally one of the ‘big girls’ that I used to look up to. With the leadership skills I have learned from Eire Born I have become very involved volunteering at my high school as well.

4. What type of volunteer work did you do in the past few years that you included in your 2013 PMAE application?
I have been involved in many volunteer opportunities, including:

- Eire Born participant and show captain

- High School Grad Council

- Simon Fraser University Leadership Summit - Working with SFU students in debates and bonding activities to develop leadership skills and organize events for high school students who plan to attend university once they graduate. This was an excellent experience because it involved working with my peers and older students towards a common goal.

- High School International Ambassador - Organizing events and fund raising for international students new to my high school and participating in team work and bonding activities. Although considered volunteering, it was an excellent experience and chance to make new friends.

5. Can you describe what you have learned and how you have grown from doing volunteer work?

Volunteer work has taught me how to work productively with others while still having an enjoyable experience. Eire Born in particular has taught me how to be adaptable and work with time constraints. As well, it is amazing to be able to make a positive difference in the community while doing something you love. I am so happy that I have found Irish dance which allows me to do this often.

6. What would be your advice to other dancers as they are thinking about applying for the PMAE award in 2014?

My advice would definitely be to apply! As long as you are passionate about something, it doesn’t matter what it is. Even if you don’t think you have enough experience, still try. It never hurts to apply!

Alexey's Wedding

The wedding party

Making it official

The happy couple: Julia and Alexey

Thank you to Alexey for sharing these beautiful wedding photos. Alexey and his bride Julia were married on December 21 in Mariupol Ukraine. Congratulations Alexey and Julia; the families of NPIDA wish you a lifetime of happiness together!

Dress For Sale (#2014-1) **SOLD**

THIS DRESS HAS SOLD!

Information about this dress from the owner:

First Celtic Star Dress at Nora Pickett Irish Dance Academy - just over one year old. 
Perfect for dancer approximately 5'3".
Neck notch to bottom:  29"
Sleeves: 23"

Looks awesome on stage - comes with matching bloomers, and bow for hair.
Asking Price: $1800
Room for alterations.

Please contact Christina at: ckmedATdmed.com for more details. (Please replace AT with @).

2013 PMAE Recipient Profile: Mikaela

Mikaela

As posted on December 8, EBIDS will soon be confirming details of the 2014 Pat McAndless Award of Excellence application process. In the weeks leading up to the March deadline, we will be featuring the 6 2013 PMAE award winners here on the blog. The winners were asked by EBIDS to answer the following 6 questions, in order to share with us a bit more about "who they are and what made them stand out to the 2013 PMAE Selection Committee".

MIKAELA P

$500 PMAE Winner

Mikaela is a longtime NPIDA dancer, assistant teacher and is also a member of Eire Born. She is 16 years old and is a Grade 11 student in Richmond. Mikaela is an Open Championship dancer, and qualified for the 2014 World Championships at the recent Western Canadian Oireachtas. Congratulations Mikaela!

1. What does winning the first annual PMAE mean to you?

Winning one of the 3rd places for the PMAE is one of those accomplishments that I’ll always look back on and be so proud of. Community service is pretty self-explanatory; doing what you can to give back and serve your community. But part of community service means that you aren’t always going to get recognition, or a “thank you, good work!” for what you’ve done.

Pat has always been there to give his trademark “pound it!” I know that Pat has been doing that since before I was a part of our dance community, so winning this award reminds me that people do notice, and they are acknowledging what I’ve done, and that is such a rewarding feeling.

 

2. Can you tell us a bit about your love for Irish Dance and your passion, work ethic, dedication and persistence in working hard?
My journey of Irish dancing has gone a little like this: I saw Irish dancing, begged my mom to enrol me in classes, I was surprised at how difficult It was and wanted to quit, but my parents kept encouraging me to push through. Sound familiar? I started at a school that wasn’t with Nora, but once I did move to NPIDA I started to like it again. I moved up through the levels over a couple years, and then once I got into championship I hit my plateau.

I tried really hard in class, but I just wasn’t seeing the results I wanted, and finally in January of 2013, I actually quit. That lasted a whopping two weeks… before I realized I loved Irish dancing so much, and part of that love was the fact that there was always room for improvement. I kept pushing to achieve higher and higher goals and after I set my mind to it, I actually did it! I got my head into the right place, snapped out of it, and tried harder than I ever had before. Now, almost a year later, I love dancing more than I ever have before.

3. How did you initially get involved in volunteering and what was one of your first experiences and/or favourite early memories from volunteering?
When I was younger, when school ended I wasn’t old enough to take care of myself while my mom was at work, so a couple of friends and I decided that we would start going to summer camps. I absolutely loved it (especially the “older kids and cool leaders”)! From then on, every summer I went to camp, and each year I was closer and closer to becoming one of those volunteers that I admired so much. I could barely wait. I thought it was the best thing ever; to be able to be that leader that makes a different in at least one kid’s life, and hopefully inspire them to give back to their community!

Once I felt comfortable volunteering at the local day camps near my house, I built up the courage to go to an overnight camp for 3 weeks (3 years in a row!) Once I started, it kind of just became second nature, and that’s what led me to start helping out at the school cafeteria. Just think about it- you could be that one leader who inspires a little kid to help their community. I had a big connection with kids, which then led to more volunteering that benefited more age bases; for example, at my school, church, senior homes etc.

4. What types of volunteer work did you do in the past couple of years that you included in your 2013 PMAE application?
Sonshine Day Camp: I usually volunteered for 2-3 weeks at the camp at Broadmoor Baptist Church, and it was from 8am – 3pm. I was a counsellor, so I organized games, prepared meals, lead bible studies and spent free time with a bunch of kids! Two days a week we went on field trips to places like Playland, the aquarium or just a local pool, so I also was in charge of a group of kids (different every time) while we were there!

Hope Bay Bible Camp: This camp was a lot of fun because we stayed there overnight the time we volunteered, and I was far away from home, on Pender Island! I was a part of the work crew, and my responsibilities were cleaning washrooms, the dining hall, kitchen, the bathrooms, tidying up, fixing cabins or anything else that needed work, yard work, or helping to make the meals for the camp.

School Barista: I was a part of the Culinary Arts program at my school, and part of the program involves a certain amount of hours volunteering in the cafeteria. I loved it so much that I went back every break at lunch and served as a barista, making coffees and other specialty drinks as well as the lunch meals and baked goods.

5. Can you describe what you have learned and how you have grown from doing volunteer work?
I’ve learned that selflessness, team work and trust are very important to my everyday life. Life is social, and once I started thinking more about others, I felt so much happier and it showed. Community service isn’t just outreach throughout the community, but it could be as simple as helping out more around the house, at school or even just offering help (even if you know they don’t need it- but just to show that you care, and you’re thankful for people’s time and effort).

Teamwork has been drilled into all of our heads, but once you accomplish great things with a team, you don’t realize how much of an amazing thing it actually is. Think of the ceili teams who went to Worlds- AWESOME RIGHT? You have to trust these people to have success, and sometimes that means going out of your comfort zone. But it’s totally worth it.

6. What would be your advice to other dancers as they are thinking about applying for the PMAE award in 2014?
If you have a genuine interest in community service and volunteering, get on it! Start volunteering! Things like babysitting, or staying behind at class to clean up, aren’t considered community service, though they are awesome things to do and you should keep doing them! Once you have some experience, think of your most memorable experiences you had volunteering, the ones that made you feel proud and satisfied with yourself, and expand on them.

I know I learned a lot of things from community service, but not all of them are good things. After volunteering at summer camps, I realised that I needed to work on patience, but that’s okay! Just because I realised a negative trait in myself, doesn’t mean that volunteering isn’t for me, it actually encouraged me to volunteer more and work on it.