Lakewood is known for its historic houses, endless restaurants, and proximity to Lake Erie. These features are some of Lakewood’s most valuable assets, but arguably, they are not the city’s greatest attributes. What makes Lakewood so special goes beyond its location or commercial value. Instead, Lakewood derives its value from its community.
Lakewood’s commitment to community involvement is exceptional. From public events to valuable educational programs, Lakewood sets the bar high. However, what sets the city apart are the many opportunities and organizations for community volunteering.
One of these organizations, H2O — Help Two Others — focuses on involving young students in community service. Their goal is straightforward, represented by the mission statement that has guided them since the program’s inception in 1993.
“To connect Lakewood youth with volunteer opportunities, to develop a strong desire to serve the community, nurtured by a culture of kindness, they learn valuable skills while helping others, they grow into more engaged citizens, empowered to make an impact in the world,” program supervisor Mrs. Chodzin said.
H2O makes an effort to serve the community while growing the minds of its youth. Volunteering is one of the best ways to broaden your perspective on the world. It provides insight into the lives of people in need, expanding your understanding along the way.
“No matter where you sit in life, you should always appreciate that you might be better off than some other people,” dedicated H2O volunteer Luke Burke said. “And I think that service and volunteering is the best way to do that.”
While H2O expands perspective, it simultaneously enriches the qualities of a volunteer. Working for others strengthens empathy, compassion, commitment, and leadership. Landon Vincel, a three-year H2O volunteer, highly prizes the personal growth he has experienced.
“When you volunteer you become more empathetic to others, and you’re making the world a better place,” Vincel said. “You begin to learn how to volunteer and how to help others, and it makes you more likely to do that in the future.”
Working as a community volunteer also builds leadership skills.
“I think everybody is a leader in their own way,” Burke said. “And I think in order to be a successful leader, you need to understand where you are on a privilege scale.”
H2O’s opportunities allow young students to truly open their eyes. For them to grow, they need to be aware of where they currently stand.
H2O offers a variety of opportunities to volunteer and benefit the community. For younger volunteers, H2O provides a summer camp. This summer camp is a week-long experience full of exciting sights and social interaction. Many current H20 members started as elementary and middle school campers, later becoming high school-age volunteers.
The summer camps are run by older H2O members. Many of them are previous campers themselves, coming full circle to counselor status.
Working up to the camp counselor position grows a student’s leadership skills. Teaching a group of young kids and organizing them into a workforce takes a lot of commitment, not to mention the work it takes to get there in the first place. Burke started his journey as a 5th-grade camper, becoming a counselor last summer.
“You can kind of choose how involved you want to be, and if you show your dedication, then you become a mentor,” Burke said. H2O’s flexible opportunities allow students to choose their own path.
Both campers and counselors highly rate H2O camps. Both groups agree on their love for the Cleveland Food Bank service site. Vincel, Burke, and Marin Nash — all former campers — shared that their favorite memory was visiting the Food Bank.
“It was a lot of fun, and we were also helping people at the same time,” Nash said.
H2O goes beyond summer camps. The camp’s max-age cuts off at incoming 9th graders, and counselors are either high school seniors or recent graduates. But what about ninth and tenth-grade students or anyone who wants to volunteer during the school year? Outside the H2O office, there is a bulletin board full of upcoming service opportunities, where students can sign up to volunteer regardless of their prior experience with the program.
H2O invites all students to lend a hand, see what it’s like, and enrich their community. Every day, students walk past the H2O office by the cafeteria, unaware of its influential role. Mrs. Chodzin encourages all students to pop their heads in the door, ask questions, and start their volunteering journey today.
