Well as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Working with the Farmers Market has been a wonderful adventure that has expanded my skill and knowledge so much. Being an intern has given me great experience such as: teamwork, management, organization, business, and has imbedded in me a much higher appreciation for my community.
Teamwork is one of the many skills I learned a lot about at the Market because the Volunteers themselves, to say the least, are fantastic team members. Each member of the team expressed a huge amount of encouragement and was always available to lend a helping hand. The amount of reassurance and support I received truly made showing up at the Market each morning at 5:30 am, something to look forward to. Their attitude of thankfulness and willingness to help others has become an objective that I hope to put into practice more often; I have seen firsthand how well it can improve the atmosphere of an environment.
Throughout the summer I started a movement to bring more funds to the Farmers Market. I wanted to start this program because I love the Farmers Market and I see the value it has in my community. At the beginning, starting a program like this seemed like a piece of cake; however, I quickly learned that asking people for money is not easy at all. Despite that fact, the experience gave me a much better understanding of the business side of running the market. I learned how to put together a budget, how to figure out what exactly the Market has to offer, and present it all in a professional manner. I am so thankful that I had an opportunity to pursue this project; it has given me so much valuable life experience.
Working as an intern I learned about my local culture and the people in it, and what better place to learn about the community than at the Farmers Market. This internship has shown me the importance of community, not only about key assets but an appreciation of being a part of it. Going out into the work force, I now have experience that I believe could give me the upper hand. I am thankful for the privilege to be a part of Ogallala Commons and the Farmers Market. It has helped me in so many ways that I cannot fit it all into this blog. Through it all I’ve made great connections and friends and give a shout out of thanks to those that made this happen.
