AFL visit #1

Cooper Feltes
Service learning
Visit 1
December 16, 2009


        At the Alliance for Living(AFL) in New London, there was a defined family I had been invited to join. Upon entering, I was greeted by multiple volunteers and employees to guide me through the facility. After completing my tour, i had the opportunity to walk through the kitchen, where two volunteers were cooking up a meal for members of AFL. What really surprised me was how comfortable I felt in the group's presence. After the tour, we went into the dining hall, and I was offered a meal! Since very few members showed up to eat, the workers generously offered me a bit of turkey and stuffing. One of the volunteers i would like to describe is a jubilant character from California. She (in the conversation around the dinner table) called herself a "California hippie" after explaining her love of children with names such as "Sunshine" and "Moonglow". She was one of the dinner cooks and her extreme kindness brightened up my evening. After my first visit, I really felt like I had found a second family to join and work with.