This review is regarding volunteer experiences at the Regional Food Bank…read more I've volunteered at the food bank about 8 times with a service organization (we have an ongoing monthly "date" scheduled with them) and overall my experience there has been positive. The people are generally friendly and flexible. Volunteer duties generally involve sorting and re-packaging donated goods for distribution to local charities. If you're looking for ways to contribute to the community, this is a good place to go. Approximately 75% of the food bank's labor hours are provided by volunteers so they're open and appreciative of volunteers.

This is an excellent place to volunteer. You email them to sign up, they get back to you in a…read morereasonable amount of time. When you show up they are ready for you with a plan and they are thankful for your help. There is plenty of work to do while you are there so you feel like you are making a difference but they do not compel you to stay longer than your assigned shift- which I appreciate. You work hard for the time you are their and they respect your time. They do great work in the community and I am happy to have helped them out on three occasions now. I look forward to returning.

I've been donating platelets and plasma to the Red Cross for more than a year. I always go to the…read morecenter on Everett Road, which is generally a bit busy.There's a good size staff. They're all very capable and very nice. The donors are nice, too. Donating platelets -- and sometimes plasma too-- is a time consuming process. It takes 2-3 hours. Platelets are cell fragments needed to stop bleeding. Plasma is the liquid part of the blood. Together, they help people who are battling cancer. Having lost friends to cancer, I donate in order to help. My donations have been sent to hospitals across the country. I can track where they went through the Red Cross app. The Red Cross doesn't pay donors but they can offer $10 store coupons and fun merch. For instance, today was free beach towel day. They seem to be very popular. Regardless, I think most of the donors would give without coupons and freebies. Everyone has lost someone to cancer and it's touching to hear their stories about how they've been moved to donate.

I was stopped during the last donation without any excuse. People were staring and when my wife…read morecalled the red cross offices (we always donate together and she was accepted) and they told her that I had donated 6 times already this year. They don't accept donors to donate more than 6 times a year, but boy did i feel like a criminal, when I was told that could not donate. In addition, twice in the past the staff were not able to finish the donation due to inability to find a vain. Since then I warn the staff to get someone with experience and they comply. I don't think that the staff is very good, other than the supervisor. I guess that the capable ones work in better places. Also they lost my records from the past. I was a donor in the US Army but was stopped from donating due to mad cow disease, because I had served overseas for more than three years. S I started over. These idiots will not stop me from donating. It is bigger than them.

An amazing place and people family that has given everything to the preservation of endangered…read morebirds and more. Amazing team father wife and amazing daughter and more giving all to benefit these endeared species. Keep on going and we hope good things more to come .. Walking Bear Signers.. Native Drum Group out of NE.

This bird sanctuary is very sad. It is so rundown and it looks like they just keep taking in…read morewhatever birds and trash people drop off. The outdoor cage isn't big enough for all of the birds living there. There is a huge new structure that is filled with just pigeons and the public can't enter it. The facility where the parrots are housed has no ventilation. It's filled with bugs, bird droppings, and giant webs. They may have had good intentions when it was first built, but it seems unsafe for the birds now.

I recently returned for another wonderful stay at Kripalu, in an R&R stay. My room as expected was…read moreclean and comfortable. I booked two services in the healing arts a Therapeutic Massage and a Chinese Astrology reading. My masseuse was wonderful at helping my begin the process of releasing all the tense muscles in my lower back and neck after a recent flare up of my chronic pain condition due to an existing spinal injury. They were careful and checked in with my along the way about pressure and comfort in the process. I felt very comfortable throughout and though I left sore (which I expect when working out the tense muscles after a flare) I felt more functional and saw a decrease in movement pain shortly after. I have had encounters with the astrologer on staff in my past visits to Kripalu once in leading a workshop on Chinese Astrology and another on a shamanic full moon ceremony. I felt that the reading and insight Beth provided was very accurate to what has framed me in my life where I've been and a bit of where I'm going. I would definitely recommend adding on a few things if time and budget allows. They truly made the experience better. As always, the food was exceptional and I found plenty of options in the schedule for movement practices, new learning opportunities as well as plenty of cozy corners and spaces to relax and do what feels best for you. They have plenty of options for books, games and puzzles to entertain you. I am also a huge fan of walking through their onsite store and left with a few new goodies to commemorate the trip. I am forever grateful for to Kripalu and their staff after every visit for always leaving feeling like I've been taken care of for a few days. I cannot wait for my next trip out.

I came for the 4th of July weekend deep mind workshop. it was extremely hot. Kripalu staff was…read morevery accommodating . I have been here many times before and I would highly recommend. The grounds are beautiful. Food was great and healthy and there were many vegetarian options. Tanglewood is 5 minutes away.

Beyond grateful that this place exists! They were available in a time of need and showed up big for…read moreour family while our son recovered in the hospital. We all need some support sometimes (in our case in the middle of the night in a new city with an injured kid) and it's people who work at places like this that restore faith in humanity.

Ronald McDonald House is an amazing resource for anyone who has to go through the emotional…read morerollercoaster ride of having a sick child in the hospital. This organization provides everything, from housing, to food, to even laundry and transportation. Every volunteer and staff member provides compassionate support to families, and does everything in their power to allow families to stay united during trying times. My friend faced such a situation recently, and I cannot thank Ronald McDonald House of Albany enough for being such a invaluable resource to her. If you have the means, I highly recommend volunteering or donating to this worthy charity. The work they do is beyond words.

Cool spot to go for a easy hike. Because the area is so large, it was really peaceful even though…read moreit was busy (full parking lot) when we visited. The ranger working at the visitor center was very helpful, recommending different areas to go. She even pointed out some areas of the park that have blueberries and raspberries for picking. Turns out that there was quite a lot of berries. We were fairly early in the fall season so there were some good views, but I can imagine that it will be nice @ peak times. We didn't have data in most parts (Verizon & Tmobile) but the visitors center @ the front does have data outside.

My husband and I only visited to do a hike on their property, where they have 30+ miles of trails…read more The visitor center wasn't open at the time, so this review is just for the trails/general property, and also to comment on the very friendly and helpful staff we met on our way up. This place seems awesome and I love their mission - I'd go back if we were in the area again.

We love, love, love this lake! We're spending the summer in Vermont and our family goes nearly…read moreafternoon for a swim and to play on the (very clean) beach. Red-winged blackbirds zip around looking for picnic crumbs, there's lots of shade, and the lake is shallow enough around the edge for my two young grandchildren to play. We had my grandson's 6th birthday party here and used one of the charcoal grills to make hot dogs. Be prepared to bring a table and chairs because all of the picnic tables have been removed due to COVID. The lake closes at sunset. Go!

Great park with nice hiking trail, paddle boat and maybe kayak or canoe rental. Minimal snack bar…read morein the past. Changing rooms, playground, picnic tables.