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Aaron Olson
Hemphill Library  

What he does: Aaron Olson is a volunteer who has been working an average of two hours per week since August 2007 at the Hemphill Branch of the Greensboro Public Library.

He is a reliable teen who assists with dozens of tasks, including shelving books and weeding in the children’s garden. He also assists with children’s programs and book clubs, and helps patrons find and check out books. He has a wealth of knowledge of children’s literature and current young adult titles; so he’s a great asset to the program.

“Aaron is a fantastic shelver. He is faster and more accurate than any book shelver we have ever had,” said Cindy Dye, children’s librarian at the Hemphill branch. “He is such a responsible and reliable volunteer.”

Olson recently graduated from Western Guilford High School and will attend UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall.

What he tells others: “This experience has taught me to reach out to other people, and that the world is just not about you. It’s a lot of fun volunteering here, but it can be challenging at times. All in all, I think it’s made me a stronger person. It’s a satisfying feeling to give back to the community.”

Volunteer opportunity
Junior Achievement of Central North Carolina strives to prepare today’s youth for tomorrow’s workforce by focusing on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Volunteers work with a specific class once a week during the school day. Lessons are about 30 minutes, and the curriculum span is from five to 10 weeks. Training and materials are provided for fun, hands-on activities. Minimum age 18. Davida Hamilton, 299-4339; dhamilton@centralncja. org; centralncja.org

LEARN MORE
Volunteer Center of Greensboro, 1500 Yanceyville St., Greensboro, NC 27405, 373-1633 or www.volunteergso.org.