ONFE Volunteers in Education Spotlight: Amy Grochot
In honor of National Volunteer Week, ONFE is highlighting some of the amazing volunteers working with our programs to help make a difference in our community.
In this blog we’d like to give the opportunity to get to know Amy Grochot, a volunteer with our JA Ottawa program.
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I grew up in the small southern Ontario city of St Catharines. I moved to Ottawa in 2012 just after graduating high school to pursue post-secondary studies at Carleton University, and I’ve stayed in Ottawa ever since! I have two cats – Panther and Oryx!
2) What made you decide to volunteer with JA Ottawa?
I started volunteering with ONFE and JA while I was in school. I was always looking for opportunities to do more outside of my undergraduate program classes. My first time volunteering was with the Economics for Success program! Although I was nervous and not at all confident to stand up in front of a classroom of students, it was an amazing experience and it was so great to see how much the students loved our activities!
3) What is your personal philosophy on life?
Number one – slow down, take it in, and make the most of what’s in front of you. Growing up I was always in such a rush – to get a job, to get ahead, to grow older! Now I’ve realized this life is too short to “run” through… I’ve been teaching myself to “walk” and look around me.
4) If you had a time machine, what year would you travel to and why?
1918 – pivotal year in putting an end to women’s suffrage in Canada!
5) For 24 hours, you can steal credit for any great piece of art, song, film, book etc. which one would you claim?
I’m not sure I could claim my name to fame from something already out there, but I’d love to write my own book one day!
6) What is your favorite hidden gem in Ottawa?
There is a bakery in Hintonburg called Bread By Us. They are extremely generous in the work they do in the community and supplying food banks around Ottawa with fresh bread… not to mention everything there is fresh baked and just delicious!
7) What was the single greatest lesson of this past year and what did it teach you about yourself?
Learning to be alone with myself… It may sound strange, but before the pandemic there was always somewhere to go, something to do, someone to see. I never got a chance to just be with myself. In the last year my mental well-being has been challenged as I am more isolated from my loved ones than I have ever had to be, but with all this me-time I now have a better understanding of my own self. This time has also taught me to appreciate the “small things” that I used to take for granted!