BERKELEY COUNTY, WV- If you ask an ordinary preteen what they like to do in their spare time their answer would probably be hanging out with their friends or surfing the internet.
But Samantha VanGorden is anything but ordinary.
"She would come in while I was working and sit at the computer and play and hang out while I was working," says Bethany VanGorden, Samantha's mother. "I just thought it would be a great idea for her to be able to volunteer and she jumped right in."
"I really like doing it," says Samantha VanGorden. "It's really fun to see all the people's faces light up."
"She loves it," says Linda Holtzapple, from the Berkeley County Senior Center. "She's like our little mascot, we love having her here."
"She could be at home playing on a computer or playing with Facebook or one of the other social sites," says Eddie Edmonds, from the Berkeley County Senior Center. "But instead of that she chooses to use a part of the her free time here at the senior center."
Samantha spent her summer volunteering at the center. She was able to rack up 60 hours a month and she was rewarded for the impact she had on the senior community.
"It gives them someone to look at and to love and watch and mature themselves," says Edmonds. "I think she's had a tremendous impact."
"I'm a senior too and it makes you just feel happy and energetic and bubbly and it's just a breath of fresh air," says Holtzapple.
However, now that Samantha is back in school she's had to cut back her hours. But that doesn't stop the preteen from lending a hand.
"I definitely want to stay here but I think exploring other places like maybe a soup kitchen or something like that would be fun," says Samantha.
"I'm pretty much bursting in pride," says VanGorden.
Samantha was recently in the honor roll. She also takes all honors classes and is part of the school choir.
But Samantha VanGorden is anything but ordinary.
"She would come in while I was working and sit at the computer and play and hang out while I was working," says Bethany VanGorden, Samantha's mother. "I just thought it would be a great idea for her to be able to volunteer and she jumped right in."
"I really like doing it," says Samantha VanGorden. "It's really fun to see all the people's faces light up."
"She loves it," says Linda Holtzapple, from the Berkeley County Senior Center. "She's like our little mascot, we love having her here."
"She could be at home playing on a computer or playing with Facebook or one of the other social sites," says Eddie Edmonds, from the Berkeley County Senior Center. "But instead of that she chooses to use a part of the her free time here at the senior center."
Samantha spent her summer volunteering at the center. She was able to rack up 60 hours a month and she was rewarded for the impact she had on the senior community.
"It gives them someone to look at and to love and watch and mature themselves," says Edmonds. "I think she's had a tremendous impact."
"I'm a senior too and it makes you just feel happy and energetic and bubbly and it's just a breath of fresh air," says Holtzapple.
However, now that Samantha is back in school she's had to cut back her hours. But that doesn't stop the preteen from lending a hand.
"I definitely want to stay here but I think exploring other places like maybe a soup kitchen or something like that would be fun," says Samantha.
"I'm pretty much bursting in pride," says VanGorden.
Samantha was recently in the honor roll. She also takes all honors classes and is part of the school choir.
