The desire to serve the public is ultimately what brings many members of the Young Government Leaders (YGL) community into civil service careers. This Valentine’s Day, YGL would like to share the love back to our community by highlighting some of the good deeds witnessed and or participated by our fellow government employees from all levels. This demonstrates that we in government can decidedly have an impact that can either be big or small, by simply doing the job we pledged an oath to do.
Sharing the Love
The Little Things
I have a coworker who does just that. Every morning at 7:45 a.m., he walks around our department greeting everyone and giving them hugs. When I first experienced this, I was working as the secretary of the department. Mr. Wayne was one of the few people that was chipper and full of life that early in the morning. You couldn’t help but be touched by his energy, especially if you were not a morning person.
The hugs are what impacted people the most. If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, had a restless night, or were having personal issues outside of the job, Mr. Wayne’s hugs made all of that go away, at least for that moment. Having someone that really cared about how you were doing and wanted to make sure your day went well, made me and other employees feel special and more excited to start the day. People looked forward to seeing Mr. Wayne for that reason.
I’ve been away from that department for almost two years now but Mr. Wayne still finds his way from the 5th to the 3rd floor to greet me every morning. He has never missed those opportunities and if he did, I would start to worry. Mr. Wayne is truly one of a kind.
Submitted by Ms. Brown who works for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Giving Back to the Community
The statistics surrounding homeless veterans in the Baltimore region are disheartening. Given the fact that there are over 400 homeless veterans in the region alone (many of whom suffer from alcohol, drug or other mental health problems), it is important now more than ever to demonstrate a love and support toward the homeless veterans in our area. With this thought in mind, YGL – Baltimore Chapter members volunteered with The Baltimore Station, a veteran outreach and support organization, on November 12, 2016 and raised over $50,000 for homeless veterans during its annual chili cook-off event. Supporting homeless veterans is a cause that’s very close to the hearts of many our members. YGL-Baltimore encourages all YGL members to “share the love” by supporting homeless veterans in your community, not only on Valentine’s Day but all year round.
Submitted by members of the YGL Baltimore Chapter
A Welcomed Touch
I would like to share a story of exceptional service that is provided in an ongoing basis by a group of employees and volunteers at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, a public hospital located just south of Fort Lauderdale, FL, particularly in their cardiac care unit.
When my daughter was born, she was diagnosed with a hole in her heart. The size of the hole meant that she would likely need some type of procedure to close it. As time went on and the hole developed, it was determined that she would need a catheter-type procedure done to deploy a “screen” to patch the hole.
On the morning of the procedure, the cardiac unit staff did their very best to distract my daughter and put her, my wife and myself at ease by talking about things my daughter likes to do, watch and play with. When it was time to go to the operating room, someone dressed as a clown came with us and entertained her with big bubbles and chatter along the way. And it didn’t end there. The operating room area was decorated with various superheroes and cartoon characters, all of which were meant to distract and ease the kids before going to surgery.
My daughter ended up having unexpected open heart surgery just two days after but it was the little details that the dedicated and caring staff and volunteers that made the ordeal bearable for my entire family. The positive feedback I’ve heard from others who had similar interactions with the staff at the hospital is a testimony of the exceptional work they do there.
Submitted by Mr. Koch who works for a DHS component in Miami, FL
A Thank You Note
There are so many things I can say about my “partner in crime” and fellow govie, Michelle, but what amazes me the most is how she channels that enthusiasm for public service day in and day out. In addition to her volunteer work at Young Government Leaders, she also serves as a Sunday school teacher and founding board member of a women’s group made up of professionals within the intelligence community. Having the privilege of being in the front seat with her during these volunteer related events, I’ve seen the inspired looks of the youth she connects with every other Sunday and heard the insightful conversations of her colleagues within the intelligence community, which by the way, can be considered a magical feat in itself! She may not quite realize how much of an impact she’s made this past seven years of being in public service, but I certainly have because she inspires me to be a better person every day.
Submitted by Mr. Aviles, President of Young Government Leaders