Dutson 1

Darin Dutson
Professor Emily Dibble
Humanities 1100; MWF 8 A.M.
24 April 2015
Civic Engagement
It was April 18, 2015, and after much turmoil of finding a short-term volunteer
activity, I decided to take a trip to our very own West Valley City Recreation Center.
Upon arrival, I was in awe, seeing the bouldering gym, swimming pool, weight room,
racquetball courts, and large gymnasiums they had in use. At the front desk Sean*
and Sharon*spoke with me about the service opportunity. The understanding I
gained from conversing with to these two representatives of the Recreation Center
was that a person can volunteer there at any time during the year. They also
relayed to me the positive vibes that emanated from this community hot spot. After
our conversations, Sharon handed me a simple trash can on wheels and a long rod
with a clamp at the end. I was told to head out and serve by cleaning up the
grounds surrounding the building.
Civic engagement sometimes means doing the dirty work; doing those things
nobody else is willing to do. Picking up other peoples garbage on a warm spring
afternoon is not exactly the ideal way to enjoy oneself; however, sometimes it is
necessary. If we did not have civically engaged individuals, society as we know it
would not function. We need volunteers to not only maintain a clean city, but also to
participate in government, to preserve our culture as Americans, and to inform us of
current events. Also, the definition of being civically engaged means that a citizen
does not wait for events to become involved. Yes, events can often organize our
efforts so that we can be more efficient, but we should not always wait for the

Dutson 2
events to motivate us. It is our duty as a resident to care for our peers and our
surroundings at any given time, meaning picking up our own trash, frequently
educating ourselves in politics, and contributing to local organizations.
I absolutely enjoyed this experience overall. Naturally, I did not particularly
adore cleaning in the hot sun, but I did relish the relationships made and the
gratification felt. Because of these two things, I would most definitely volunteer to
do the same thing again. This assignment allowed me plunge into civic involvement
with both feet. Through this experience I also became aware of other opportunities
to volunteer, and I am now enrolled to assist with the American Cancer Society. This
will allow me to use my time more meaningfully while preparing for a career.
There was a specific portion of the assignment that did upset me, however.
While I was sweating under the hot sun, upper-middle class citizens were passing
me. As they walked by, I found it interesting that they would not look at me. This
could easily be due to the stereotypes that come along with those that are picking
up garbage on a daily basis. To me, this was a pristine example of the theme
Identity, Privilege, and Inequality we discussed in class. As a society, we do not
give all of our citizens equal treatment due to their present circumstances. We tend
to judge wrongfully instead of seeking to understand the bigger picture. This
assignment allowed me not only to realize this, but it also forced me to promise
myself that I would never judge anyone for doing lowly tasks; that I would strive to
understand why citizens do the things they do.
Lastly, this assignment allowed me to reflect on what it means to live in the
Land of Liberty. The most applicable theme to this project would have to be
Freedom, Responsibility, and Justice. We can create an improved freedom if we
care for our surrounding community and our surrounding community members. We

Dutson 3
have a solemn responsibility to give freely of our time to help those around us. If we
each understood the seriousness of this responsibility and in fact carried it out,
there is no telling the improvement we would experience. True justice will find us if
we can produce sufficient mutual respect. Through selfless civic service, we can
achieve all of these things and more.

*Names are changed for privacy reasons.