A-LISTS community spotlight
The Simple GraTificaTion
of VolunTeerinG
Glen Flint
from our LGBT Center
by bill biss
“it gives me a feeling of contributing to
the community and of helping people
who do need help. When you do help
someone and they’re grateful, that really
carries you along.”
Developing a structure for the LGBT community by providing a safe haven to in to use the cyber center or the library, there are people who come in to meet at
learn, grow and nurture relationships with others is the true focus of The Center in the various functions that go on like yoga and senior groups that you become
Hillcrest. In the five years that Glen Flint has been volunteering his time there, it is familiar with. I think dealing with the public…our behavioral health people have
just the simple sense of gratitude and commitment of time that is his reward for done a couple of workshops with the front desk people to tell us how to deal with
running the front desk at The Center on a part-time basis. people who might be difficult or in crisis. I’ve learned a few things there as far
Glen explains, “I had retired just about five years ago. When you retire, it’s kind of as dealing with the public. When I dealt with the public in my job, it was a much
easy to let everything pass you by. I certainly didn’t want that to happen. My part- narrower focus.”
ner still works and that is part of the motivation too. I decided that I still needed to With so many resources available at The Center, is there one that comes to mind
keep a little structure. I had been reading about The Center and about their work for Glen of being perhaps a bit more popular at the present time? “There are so
and stuff. I decided that would be a good place for me to devote a little time and many different areas…they have the women’s group and the senior’s group. Yet, I
kind of give back. I wanted to keep myself stimulated and involved with what’s guess in retrospect, the cyber center with ten computers serves a large portion of
going on. I am there now two mornings a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from the community for people who don’t have computers. People might not neces-
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It gets me out of bed (laughter).” sarily know how to access things…that is a big contribution to the community.
Glen moved to San Diego in 1996 with John, his partner of 30 years. Before he They are available 12 hours a day from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.”
retired, Glen was a marketing manager at Kaiser Permanente. Manning a front Overall, Glen’s experience has been a pleasant one as he recalls, “I’ve had people
desk isn’t as easy a job as some people would believe and for Glen, there is a simply express their gratitude. That’s primarily when you are able to direct them
personal satisfaction in his work. “For me, it kind of gets you involved in all aspects or give them some information they weren’t aware of. Not everybody is grateful
of what The Center does. So, you have to know something about all the referral (laughter).” So, if you are looking to donate your time or simply have the desire
aspects. You just get to learn more. It’s a bit more interesting because you do have to be more involved in our LGBT community, just go to
thecenter.org and click
to learn what the various functions are and what the aspects of service are in The on the volunteer link to discover the satisfaction that Glen feels in giving back by
Center and outside in the community too. I’ve worked the AIDS Walk for the past working the front.
three years also. It gives me a feeling of contributing to the community and of
helping people who do need help. When you do help someone and they’re grate- The San Diego LgBT CenTer
ful, that really carries you along.” 3909 Centre Street
There is such a wide variety of resources at your fingertips in The Center, from San Diego, Ca 92103
counseling and support groups, yearly event functions and the resources of the hours of operation:
cyber center and library are all available. In the several years that Jim has been Monday - Friday 9am-10pm
volunteering, he has welcomed many people there. “There are people who come Saturday 9am-7pm
8 RAGE monthly | February 2010
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