AIMS team gladly joined the Fall Volunteer Day

On 15^th of October 2011 AIMS team gladly joined the Fall Volunteer Day, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce and Bulgarian Charity Aid Foundation. Although AIMS participation has become a tradition, the event this year was even more special as 2011 was announcedasEuropean Year of Volunteering.

Our volunteering day began with the support to the Day-care center for people with disabilities in Mladost district, Sofia. AIMS volunteers took part actively in a variety of public and social works. First, we cleaned and put in order the outdoor surrounding area. The results were a lot of weed being removed and access to green spots provided. Then, our team creatively improved some of the flora and landscape elements. A new walnut-tree was planted out. Also, benches, stone edges and surfaces were colorfully painted. When finished, the place was looking significantly lovelier. Along all these activities, we cooperated with the center responsible. Even though children were not present, being with their own families in the weekend, we have received a later positive feedback about their appreciation, enjoying the changes on Monday morning.

In the second half of the day, as a continuation, we visited a second spot. That was, an orphanage, situated in the village of Doganovo, near Elin Pelin, half an hour away from Sofia. We found ourselves in the fascinating environment together with forty youngsters. There, AIMS team divided in groups and interacted with them, involving children in different learning and sport games. Some kids preferred to play dances, aerobics or ball-games. Others were more passionate to engage their brains in collective board games, writing, reading or puzzles. Time passed unnoticeably and we could not easily tear ourselves away from Doganovo.

All in all, AIMS continued and went deeper in its relations with socially disadvantaged. Coming in the future, we consider even greater and longer projects with one of the orphanages, cooperating together with EU and Bulgarian organizations. We believe in volunteering, perceiving it as a common social responsibility and shall continue our work in that direction.