2. La Puente is an organization in Alamosa CO, in the San Luis Valley La Puente is an AmeriCorps site La Puente serves the homeless and impoverished populations of this rural, agricultural valley. They serve primarily migrant and homeless people with shelter, meals, rent assistance, food banks, and community gardens.

3. PALS is a program for children under 10 who need care while their previously homeless parents are learning to get jobs, education and new houses. We played with them at their school, went on a weeding war, and spent many days as their buddies.

4. We helped at a free sale at the La Puente Outreach Office We tended the gardens at two local community sites We cleaned and organized at Rainbows End thrift store in Monte Vista We distributed food from the Food Bank and helped clean storage areas and organize the surplus food

5. At the shelter, we cooked lunch and dinner almost every day. We served the food to each community member. We toured the shelter and offices to better understand housing issues, rental assistance, re-employment services, and factors leading to homelessness.

6. Sleeping in a circle at a church in Alamosa Eating together at the shelter and at the church Talking during our break time at the church before bed And working together in Alamosa

7. We read the book The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez to better understand migrant farm life. We learned about the secrets of service We kept a daily journal and conducted councils about what we learning, seeing and experiencing. We worked closely with AmeriCorps volunteers to better understand what service life is like.

8. We visited a carrot farm and learned about farm practices and water resources

9. In partnership with AmeriCorps volunteers at La Puente, we became good friends. We listened to their personal stories of the importance of a lifetime of service. We became the AmeriCorps fan club at a local softball game! We worked alongside them in all of our jobs. We learned a lot from them about doing without and serving others without recognition. We continue to communicate with them at their new adventures via email.

10. (Adapted from Lance Cheslocks article in The Voice of La Puente, Summer 2009). Service work is mostly a long series of small, menial tasks. People who are poor or in crisis can be very difficult to work with.

11. The novelty of helping in a new environment will soon wear off. Change is incremental.

12. Seeing the world change for the better is the true payment of service, and that is all someone needs.-Micah Epstein Service work is like a puzzle. It takes a while to put the whole picture together. Each task is like a piece and once you have collected enough pieces to fit, you start to see a change.- Livvie Witt

13. When you do service you dont necessarily think that youre making a big difference at the moment. But when you look back you can string all the things that helped together. Then you realize how that made a difference for someone or something.- Alexa Morey

14. To embrace the experience of service, you have to accept the people, the town, the work you will do and so much more. You have to put aside any differences or judgments you may have and accept the challenges that may come along with doing service.-Taylor Reese

15. When youre doing service smile... that will help you and the people around you.-Noah Chavkin Stay optimistic otherwise work will wear on you. -Marcus Tweedy

16. When youre doing service you must keep your mind on your work. If you think of all the discomforts you will tire out quickly.-Megan Lefebvre Service is not for gratitude.-Jamie Cantarovici and Joe Harding No matter how attached you become to someone or something, moving on is essential. – Diana Edelman

17. Never stop doing service work because you think youre not making a difference. Even the smallest tasks put together make a giant change.-Jonah Kone. Change does not happen all at once… it happens over time.-Sage Grunwald

18. When you go into service like La Puente, you will become sad to say goodbye to the people you worked with. Even though you feel sad, you have done a good deed.- Susanna Rohr Service is always changing. For example the job youre doing, the people youre working with, or how it affects you changes. -Effie Shannon

19. Service will always be never ending project. Once you finish something there will ALWAYS be something (big or small) to do. For example helping build a house because it burnt down from a fire or help some one reach a glass because they are to short.- Alana Young-Morrison Service is something that you should not be required to do and that needs no reward or payoff besides the fact that you enjoyed and feel good about what you have done. – Emmarie Nosal

20. Be willing to be misunderstood. –Gayle Nosal Serve with humility. Jump right in even if you arent an expert at the work. – Cece Schehl