2019-2020 Wolverine Guard Award Recipients

WG Volunteer Stories

              As a Wolverine Guard graduate, I’ve had my own fair share of enriching, fulfilling experiences that include cooking free meals, being a summer counselor for kids with disabilities, and teaching sports and academics to preteens. However, of the total 400 hours or 1,440,000 seconds I spent volunteering, the most precious seconds were spent on community service projects that not only gave back to the community but also enriched and stimulated my personal growth.

              One such example is my participation as a Korean Seattle Association actor in the Seattle Torchlight Parade. As a Korean born and raised in Bellevue, the slim chances to experience Korean traditions and culture were limited to food, small familial New Year events, and Korean dramas. As a result, my participation in the Korean Seattle Association’s Ganggangsullae (a Korean cultural celebration) demonstration was a golden opportunity to immerse myself in the Korean culture and socialize with others who had similar backgrounds and beliefs. From the first day of changing into my Korean hanbok(traditional clothing), playing the buk(Korean drum), and rehearsing the Ganggangsullae(a Korean cultural celebration) in an empty parking lot, I overflowed with pride and happiness for finally recognizing the sweet experiences of my mother country.

              After weeks of diligent preparation, it was time to present ourselves to the open, curious eyes of the world. Standing on the sidewalk of the street was a huge line of people, miles long, from all ethnicities and races (Caucasian, Korean, Chinese, African, Indian) cheering, clapping, and celebrating. In response to their encouragement, we, the Seattle Korean Association dressed in our hanboks and Tae Kwon Do uniforms, doboks, stepped forward and uniformly embarked on our 2.5 mile journey down 4^th Avenue. With the clanging of the main drummer’s buk, signaling the start of the celebration, I and the rest of the procession’s first section briskly moved ahead to create distance, and the second procession quickly ran forward. Filling the empty void, drummers and dancers created a huge spiral around the king and queen. As the amount of people increased, more and more drums increasingly joined in the music, creating a deafening, lively heartbeat of Korean culture. The rapid swirls and jumps of the dancer’s blue, yellow, red, green hanboks, created a vibrant and lively painting on the dull, gray canvas of the street.

              As the audience witnessed this beautiful representation of Korean culture and heritage, I felt uninhibited happiness and pride in my dedication and diligence. The thunderous vibrations in the air from the shouts and applause of the crowd gave me the strength to straighten my tired shoulders, tightly clasp the banner with calloused hands, and walk confidently on my aching feet.

              My participation with the Seattle Korean Association in the Seattle Sea Fair was an empowering and satisfying journey. It was a dream to participate in such a large, traditional Korean ceremony. Although volunteering is known for giving back to the community, it is overlooked how volunteering can help us. I was truly fortunate to grow through my many volunteering experiences and will continue to pursue community service efforts in the future.