During college, I volunteered at the John McDonald Residential Treatment Center in Monticello, Iowa. JMRT is a campus run by Four Oaks, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children in dire circumstances, often involving mental illness.
Growing up, I found myself drawn to volunteer and service opportunities without much consideration as to how important a role these opportunities played towards my character development.
In 1971, not a single shelter specifically serving runaway youth existed in the state of Iowa. In 1972, that changed when YSS founder George Belitsos opened the first runaway shelter (which later became Rosedale shelter) in the basement of an Ames church.
The focus of my Future Leaders in Action (FLIA) summer fellowship was to revitalize youth volunteerism within Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa (BGCCI). In other words, and stick with me here, I was brought on to help more young people help more other people in more ways.
