VIP Volunteer - "Our work is important and has made a difference in so many lives"

April 19-25 is National Volunteer Week. Volunteers play an integral part of the day-to-day functions, crisis intervention and overall community vision of our agency. Here's a spotlight of Cinda Seamon, a longtime Hopeful Horizons volunteer.

I am Cinda Seamon and have been with Hopeful Horizons for 30 years. Currently I work full time for Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue as the Fire & Life Safety Educator. I am also Chairman of the Board for Main Street Youth Theatre which can feel full time when we are in the middle of a show!

Back in late 1980-something, I moved to Hilton Head Island. I was looking to do some volunteering in the community and ended up driving an ambulance for the “Rescue Squad” as it was known back then, and taking the training for the Rape Crisis Center. A friend of mine was a police officer with Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and she said there was a strong need for this service on HHI. So three of us on HHI took the training and the on-call volunteers were born. We met every month and even had a little newsletter. We covered as much of the 365-day calendar that we could. For some reason it worked - and I don’t think we missed a call! Eventually we were able to add more people to our group through the trainings. Later, the organization became Hope Cottage, then Hope Haven and finally Hopeful Horizons.

We formed a positive relationship with Hilton Head Hospital that lasted over the years and is still working today – complete with our own clothes closet locker that the hospital gave to us.

It’s amazing how far the organization has come in terms of victims served and services offered. The merger took things to a whole new level - and wow what an experience it was to tour the shelter. I wasn’t sure what to expect – maybe a huge bunkroom for everyone? Certainly not the individual rooms with bathrooms. The common areas like the kitchen, day room and playroom were comfortable, clean and spacious. Much thought has gone into this to make it as much of a home as possible.

In addition, the expertise within our group is phenomenal! Every volunteer and every paid staff person has played a part in making Hopeful Horizons what it is today. We have all created an organization we can be proud of.

So here it is - 30 years since I started and I am still invested in the mission of Hopeful Horizons. Our work is important and has made a difference in so many lives. Strong work everyone! Carry on!