Last night I spent four hours in Kingston's Ulster County Jail. NO I was not arrested!! I volunteered through the KDP honors program for the Read Out Loud: A Voice to Remember.
    A partner and I met with six or seven different inmates, one by one. I helped them fill out a questioner about the children at home who miss them, and I explained how we could help them send their holiday love and wishes this year. Together, my partner and I helped them pic out greeting cards and children's books for the young ones who miss them. They were given one card and one book for each child. After they wrote their personal message into the greeting cards, my partner recorded them reading the book out loud. They also recorded personal voice messages for the kids. Before the holidays, the children (sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and cousins) will all receive a package from the inmates (that KDP will send out for them). Now they can once again hear their locked up loved ones' voices, have a new book at hand, and read their book with the voice recordings.
    This was very rewarding work! The inmates were grateful. At first, I was a little nervous... spending intimate time with criminals that I don't know in a secluded room with no officers or guards.. but there was apparently no reason to worry. The only questions the inmates asked us were "no ones paying you for this?? where do you go to school?"; both questions which I was happy and comfortable to answer. Some of them got weepy recording messages to the children who they've been separated from... we also brought tissues for this happening. The inmates thanked us, and I'd like to thank KDP for this wonderful volunteer opportunity!