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My Journey as a Youth Volunteer
By: John Rose
The Beginning
Have you ever been invited to volunteer with the best sister in the world? Well, that’s what happened to me. One day, my sister, Bristal, invited me and my little brother Bryce to volunteer with the Healthy Downriver Coalition, although it was SUDDs (Stop Underage Drinking & Drugs) at the time. Me and Bryce didn’t know what was in store for us, but little did we know, we were going to have a great time! It started out as helping pass out resources at community events, like farmers markets. I was 15 at the time and was not sure if I was going to like it, but I found out that I loved doing it. It was a great feeling to help others and to connect with people in the community. Those days were a really good beginning experience, and I was really excited to see what was ahead for me with the Healthy Downriver Coalition.
Years Later/Present Day
As the years passed, I got more experience with the coalition and was getting more involved with other projects or events. As of right now, I’m still volunteering with the coalition and helping out when needed. There was one event we hosted, called the Recovery & Resilience Event that I even got to complete some artwork for. If anyone knows me personally, they know that I love art. So, it was really nice that I got to help while also doing a hobby that I love.
My Experience at the Mental Health Town Hall Event
In 2024, I volunteered for our coalition’s Annual Substance Use and Mental Health Town Hall. It was the first year we hosted this event, and it was really cool. I listened to presentations about teenage mental health and substance use and how we can prevent teens from having any mental health challenges or using substances. April Cardinal, another youth volunteer, was a panelist at this event and she did a good job talking about her perspective on these topics. Noah Bowers, another youth volunteer, emceed the event and he even designed the agenda cards we passed out with a drawing of his own. Overall, the event was so great and so needed! Meeting everyone was a really fun experience, and the other panelists did a great job as well.
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