Volunteer Appreciation Week

In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Week, VSS would like to take a moment to honor Belinda Gloyd, our longest standing volunteer EVER!
We asked Belinda to share a few words, and here is what she said:
“Volunteering is a great way to feel a belonging to the community in which you live.  When I look to volunteer, I look at the who the agency serves and the support I will receive as a volunteer.  I chose VSS for these reasons about 13 years ago and have never looked back.  
“First, volunteering at VSS has changed my life for the better in that I get to work with clients who allow me into their lives in order to help them in a very traumatic time in their life.  I have had many opportunities to do various tasks with VSS and I currently volunteer on the crisis hotline. I always feel honored when I talk to a client, hear their story and then am able to offer assistance, even if it is just offering an ear to listen.  I am also amazed at the resiliency of the clients when dealing with a life-changing event and have learned some very important life lessons from these clients.  I know that telling their story is extremely difficult and sometimes heart-wrenching, but being able to offer assistance in this difficult time in their life is why I continue volunteering at VSS.  
“Second, the support I receive from the VSS staff is amazing.  The staff at VSS are busy, but are always available if I have a question, need to debrief a call, or just brainstorm ideas in order to help a client.  The staff is very knowledgeable and freely offers their assistance as needed.  As a volunteer, I feel very supported and appreciated at VSS.
“In conclusion, volunteering at VSS has become an important part of my life.  If you are thinking about a volunteer opportunity, VSS is a great place to volunteer!”
Here are a few words about Belinda from her supervisor, Leslie:
“During her time as a volunteer, Belinda has displayed a strong commitment to excellence in service and dedication.  Belinda has shown herself to be thoughtful, intelligent, and able to problem-solve quickly for the best results.  She has the strong ability to listen to clients and work with them in ways that clients in crisis have found helpful. Belinda respects clients and never makes judgments, she is always ready with the critical thinking skills needed to work unsupervised, in crisis intervention, in the wee hours of the night and respect the privacy and confidentiality of our clients.  Belinda’s strong commitment to Victim Support Services is very clear. She is always willing to help in any way she can, and I am forever grateful for her.”
Belinda, thank you for all that you do for victims of crime!