Featured Volunteer – Tara O’Donovan

Can you tell me a tiny bit about your background?
Hi my name is Tara O’Donovan and I live in Myrtleville. I have three children aged 17-21! I have been running a Montessori School in Crosshaven for 23 years for children aged 2 ½ to 5years old.

How did you find out about Crann?
I first heard about Crann through one of my friends, who told me she had been doing some volunteering there. When I heard this, I decided to look at the Crann Centre website myself to see what Crann was all about.

What made you want to volunteer at the Crann Centre?
As my school closes for the summer I have plenty of time to do some volunteer work and Crann were looking for volunteers for their Teens Summer Camp. I decided to apply. I was a little nervous on my first morning as my only experience working with teens was with my own three at home. However, it didn’t take long for me to realise that this was going to be three days of fun! Within an hour we were all out playing tennis on the nearby courts!

What has been your most memorable volunteering experience at Crann?
The most memorable experience was watching the children who had completed the Turas Saol Wheelchair Skills Training Programme putting their skills into action. Then seeing the other children, with the assistance of the OTs, having a go at some of the skills, going up and down steps, ramps etc. It was amazing to see how resilient these children are, after a fall or a bump they just got up and tried again!

What do you feel you have gained from volunteering at the Crann Centre?
I spent three days volunteering with Crann this summer and I loved every minute of it. The children were great to be around and we had so much fun trying loads of new skills!
Be it tennis, dodgeball, archery, rounders, yoga it doesn’t matter, all it takes is a little bit of adaptability and everyone can be involved. Through volunteering with the Crann Centre I learned how to become adaptable!