Volunteers for Youth Justice Show their Volunteers Appreciation with Drive-Thru Event [VIDEO]

I was tickled pink when my Volunteers for Youth Justice TBRI supervisor Lucinda Miles told me to come by the VYJ offices yesterday to find this waiting! I really didn't know what to expect when I arrived. I knew they had asked about my t-shirt size a few weeks ago, but I didn't think much of it.

Then I got there and was greeted by a slew of happy VYJ folks with balloons and signs thanking myself and my fellow Court Appointed Child Advocates, Trust-Based Relational Intervention Advocates, etc for their time and dedication to our area's children. The truth is, we don't help VYJ because we're worried about being paid, we volunteer our time and efforts. The reward is being able to make a difference in the life of a child and working with other like-minded individuals who also believe we can make the world a better place.

I was only able to capture the second part of the drive-thru celebration on video. At the first stop, they thanked us profusely and handed us a to-go container with a fantastic dinner to take home and enjoy, because, you know, coronavirus. At the second stop, the one I was able to film, we received a super cute VYJ t-shirt. At the third stop, volunteers wished us well and thanked us once again.

My buddy Tim says they generally host a more formal event for their volunteers, but I couldn't imagine anything more touching. During a time where we're all wearing thin, this was PERFECT! You can hear people tell you how much they appreciate you, but when they SHOW you, it can make all the difference!