COVID-19 safe community service

The secrets of service during quarantine

BY RYLAN BUTT

Staff Reporter

Community service is very important for students because it allows us to become active members of the community. Though distance learning may seem like a massive barrier, there are still ways you can help your community. There are many different organizations in Redwood City and San Carlos who are in desperate need of volunteers to help them in these trying times, along with many clubs at Sequoia whose main focus is to do community service.

Community service should not be seen as something you need to do for school credit, but should be seen as something that benefits both you and your community.

“[Community service] makes me think of ways I can help more instead of just noticing the problem. I can go ‘Hey this is a problem’, and we can actually do something,” said sophomore Lexi Calloway, secretary of Key Club. Many people also say it allows them to have a different perspective on the world.

Recently, many community service projects have been postponed or stopped due to COVID-19, demotivating many people who were interested in it.

“Just because we are online doesn’t mean you can’t help”, says co-president of the Key Club sophomore Brian Khov.

Even though it seems like community service is impossible in social distancing, many organizations and clubs still offer those volunteer opportunities.

There are many great places to volunteer in the area. Some of the easiest and biggest places to volunteer are Project Linus, Compassion Week, Key Club, and Second Harvest Food Bank. Another good way to find volunteer opportunities is to read the weekly newsletter sent out by Sequoia in emails. The internet is also an amazing place to do research to find places.

You should always be taking the most precautions possible when doing in person service and volunteering. Remember to stay 6 feet apart, bring a mask, hand sanitizer, and maybe even a face shield. You should also bring some sort of disinfecting wipes so you can wipe down any belongings you may have touched such as your phone or your wallet.

One of the best ways you can do community service is by joining the Key Club at Sequoia. The Key Club is a club at Sequoia whose main goal is to do community service and help others.

Though all virtual, “We still get together as a club and do community service”, said Calloway. Even though the club has gone online, the core principles still stay the same.

“One thing that stays the same is of course just helping other people out”, says Khov when asked about the club. Most activities the club does is online, so you don’t need to put yourself at risk if you don’t want to. “Make people feel like something good is happening during this crazy time[...]We mostly do things online like writing letters”, said Khov.