My Experience at the Penrose Recreation Center
The Penrose Recreation Centre is an institution set up for children between the ages of 8-12 who come from poor backgrounds so that they can have a program after school where they can experience the resources they cannot access while at their homes. The primary purpose of the facility is to provide a space where the kids can be active in a safe and comprehensive environment. The place also provides a positive atmosphere which improves the emotional and psychological wellbeing of the children and saves them the cost of these social services from outside the centre. The recreation centre is located in Susquehanna Ave, Philadelphia. The facility often hosts multiple community events for children so that they can feel like a part of something in their community and grow up in a quiet space surrounded by counsellors and volunteers who can steer them in the right direction. It provides facilities such as ball fields and courts, playgrounds, a park, a swimming pool, computer labs, historical and cultural attractions, a golf course as well as a section where the adult centres for the elderly.
When I was required to fulfil corporate social responsibility, I applied to work at the Penrose Recreational facility. I was responsible for assisting the kids with their homework, interacting with them through their common interest and playing board games with them. Initially, I was required only three hours of service, but I decided to stay longer. I wanted to help the counsellors with the management of the children. The experience for me was very fulfilling, and it reminded me of the time I volunteered in Parks and Recreation, which is a similar facility found in New York City.
The service impacted me in a significant way and made me feel like a new person. Through my interaction with the kids, I was able to appreciate how far I had come because I could recall a time when I was in a similar situation. During my time of service there, I realized that the recreation facilities I have attended had a significant influence on the person I turned out to be. With counsellors all around me and activities that could take my mind off my situation at home as a child, I was able to grow up in a safe and inclusive environment.
Initially, I needed to put in the time because it was required of me. However, as I went through the program and worked with the children from less fortunate homesteads, I realized that the situation hit closer to home than I initially thought. Leaving the place after my time of service was exhausted was more difficult than I realized. I had already connected with so many of the children there, and the stories they told were very easy for me to relate to. I felt obliged to be there because a similar facility had done so much for me. I wanted to be part of the team that steered these kids in the right direction and kept them away from the streets. I was also reminded of why I had put in so much work to achieve my goals. I wanted to give back to the society that had already given me so much when I was growing up. To me, Penrose Recreational Centre felt like a home away from home.