My Life Circa 2004 - Part 3

Sent February 19, 2004:

Hello!

It has been a while since I last kept in touch, so I wanted to send an update. I am currently in Miami, FL where my team has been for the past four weeks assisting low-income families file their 2003 federal tax returns. In addition to doing taxes, my team has also been volunteering at the Miami Children's Hospital three nights a week as bedside buddies, which involves pushing carts of toys and games from room to room and playing with kids who are unable to leave their beds.

Tax work here has been slow, mostly because most people hadn't received their W-2 forms until recently. The team, divided into pairs, works at five different locations throughout the city during the week and on Saturdays. Having never filed a single tax return of my own, helping someone else with theirs is a bit daunting. You're never sure if you could've gotten someone a bigger refund or if you even did the return correctly. Having the taxpayer sign a release form that "remises, releases, acquits, satisfies, waives, indemnifies, holds harmless, exonerates and forever discharges" us from "any and all claims, demands, accounts, sums of money, torts, trespasses, expenses, ...which may have as a result of personal injury or damage to or loss of property while receiving" our tax services is only a slight relief in the sense that I know I can't be sued for screwing up, but it still wouldn't alleviate the guilt. Aside from that, what makes this experience worth it is in seeing the lit up faces of taxpayers when they're told that they will be receiving a much needed four or five thousand dollar refund.

During the day when we're not providing tax assistance, which is often, we pass the time by contemplating our navels or planning our life after Americorps. I've done much of both, and as of right now, I'm keeping all options open about where I'll be or what I'll be doing after July 1st. In other words, I don't have a job and need one.

My team leaves Miami this Saturday to return to Charleston for a few days before we begin our next project next week. We have been assigned to High Point, North Carolina for an education project. We will be tutoring at four elementary schools during the day and running an after school program at a local Boys and Girls Club which is also where we'll be staying.

In other news, I'm delighted to report that I managed to take some days off from Americorps to go to Hawaii for the Kaimana Klassik XVII Ultimate Frisbee tournament this past weekend. It was wonderful seeing Whiptail alums Merritt, Cara, Lin, Marta, Andra, and Brynne, and in Hawaii no less! We played ultimate against a gorgeous backdrop of green mountains and camped by a beach of white sands and clear blue water. I had a terrific time. All I have left to say about Whiptail reunions is that I like it, I love it, and I want more of it!

Blogger's note: After four years since the last non-Millyfest Whiptail reunion, the alums are once again discussing the prospect of forming an alum team for a tournament in 2009. Finally!