meet mrs. patti!
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BY AVA CONLEY
I know I say this all the time, but we honestly could not do what we do at Common Ground Montgomery without our incredible volunteers! I can genuinely say that the Lord has brought some really amazingly gifted individuals to our team. I have been constantly blown away this semester by the faithfulness, selflessness, and love for our kids that the volunteers have shown. I'm starting a segment where we take a moment to recognize one of our awesome volunteers!
"Mrs. Patti" has been volunteering with CGM for close to 4 years. We absolutely LOVE her and are so thankful for the impact that she has made at CGM!
Q: Why do you volunteer with CGM?
First, the kids; they are bright and beautiful and full of life. Second, I believe CGM is making a difference in the community.
Q: What is your favorite area to volunteer in?
Academics and tutoring.
Q: Who is your favorite staff person?
That’s a hard one. I love Kevin’s passion, Chaquana’s heart, and Ava’s tattoos.
Q: How has volunteering at CGM impacted you?
I love kids. I love to watch them learn and grow. I love their energy and honesty; it’s my remedy for empty nest syndrome.
Q: What is one of the most impactful moments / conversations / interactions you’ve had while volunteering?
Every time I come to CGM something meaningful happens. It’s why I keep coming back. But this summer I got to read with one of the 2nd graders. He was unmotivated to even try but we kept at it. When academics started back this fall, he had lost ground so we got after it again and he improved. Today, he gets his homework done quickly so that we have time to read together.
Q: Describe a funny story or interaction that you have had with one of the kids.
Last year, I had another 2nd grader who was a terrible procrastinator. Took him forever to get his homework done. One day I decided I was going to make him get his work done in the first 20 minutes of academics. I had to really push him to make him stay focused and he did it. Then he promptly disrupted the entire class for the rest of academics because he didn’t have anything to do. We didn’t make that mistake again.
Thank you for all you do, Mrs. Patti!
If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer, please contact Ava Conley by using the CONTACT FORM.
