It’s hard to believe my year at Rainbows has come and gone and I’ve already begun my next adventure.
When I first accepted the AmeriCorps VISTA position I had no idea what to expect. Would I learn anything? Would I gain anything? Would I enjoy working at Rainbows? Right off the bat, the answer to all of my questions was yes, absolutely yes. I graduated from Tabor College in 2014, prior to graduating I was approached with the opportunity to serve for a year through AmeriCorps VISTA at Rainbows. To be completely honest, my knowledge of the organization was very limited but it seemed like a great opportunity I felt compelled to take.
Shortly after graduation I began my first full-time position. It felt almost like the first day of school all over again, excitement and nerves. Thank you Rainbows for being so welcoming that I enjoyed coming to work. Thank you for giving me friends that were hard to say goodbye to when my year of service had come to an end. My VISTA position was meant to fill a variety of needs within the organization, which meant I gained a variety of experiences. From designing t-shirts to writing grant applications the new experiences were many and I enjoyed learning from them all. Thank you Rainbows for helping me grow and giving me the opportunity to acquire new skills as well as improve old ones.
Throughout my year, I had the privilege of meeting and building relationships with many people including the Rainbows’ Board of Directors. As part of managing Rainbows’ social media, one of my roles as a VISTA included interacting with the Board of Director’s Communications Committee. It was through this process that I made an important connection that would lead to my current job. Thank you Rainbows for giving me amazing opportunities. Life is unpredictable.
A short time into being at Rainbows my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Through her diagnosis, surgery, chemo, and finally receiving the all clear, Rainbows was gracious and supportive to me. Thank you Rainbows for giving me the love I needed during that time. I could go on, there is so much I am so thankful to Rainbows for. My experience is something I would not trade for the world, I have been so blessed by Rainbows. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything. This post was written by Chloe Stevenson, former WSU AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow. Chloe is now a Brand Coordinator at Apples & Arrows.
