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Description: Friends of Madison Lane seeks to unite Colgate students with members of the senior community in Hamilton by creating a conversational atmosphere on Friday afternoons. Some members will participate in "Banana Bingo," a fun way to play bingo where winners receive bananas, as well as other games. Other members can participate in the "Odd Jobs" part of the program, which can be anything from basic facility maintenance to talking with residents. Everyone is welcome to do both, however!
Some other events include a special Valentine's Day and Halloween edition of Bingo, pumpkin painting, holiday decorating, and giving informational lunches on campus.
Volunteers meet for two hours each week on Friday afternoons and transportation is provided if necessary.
Community: Friends of Madison Lane volunteers work at Madison Lane Apartments, a non-assisted living senior citizen community in Hamilton.
Volunteers Say: "Talking to my bingo buddies every week forces me to think about life in general. I have had a lot of conversations that change my priorities. Every week I go to bingo I come back with a different reason for returning again and again. Although sometimes it's depressing, listening to people talk about their past and their future is very interesting and, as I said before, forces me to think about life in general. Also they are so much fun to be around that I just enjoy all the time I spend with them. Volunteering gives me a new outlook on life and gives me a chance to burst my bubble and know what really goes on in the world. Most of us live a pretty sheltered life and, through volunteering, while we might not be able to completely understand the struggles other people go through in everyday life, we are one step closer."
"I have really enjoyed getting to know the ladies (and Hank) at our weekly bingo sessions! They have great stories and of course, I have thoroughly enjoyed winning bananas! I really wanted to do some sort of volunteer work on a regular basis and this activity is every Friday. It fit into my schedule really well and its fun! To encourage others to volunteer, I would tell them to just try it because it really is rewarding and enjoyable!"