My name is Graham Blair and I am on the New Orleans DukeEngage team. My favorite thing about this city is their love of music. If you go into the French Quarter, at any time of day, on any day of the week, there will be people playing music in the blistering heat on nearly every street corner. Yesterday at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, I was called up during concert and played guitar for a song while another DukeEngage student played piano. Super fun.
I have worked at Touro Infirmary the past few weeks, and have a role in charge of several high school volunteers. Hanging out with them on lunch breaks has been a great way to get to learn more about them and their city. I have also managed to befriend my program director’s 4-year-old son who enjoys calling me with the help of Siri on his mom’s phone.
One other thing I do each Wednesday afternoon is work at the patient information desk, telling people where in the hospital to go. I sit with another adult volunteer, 89-year-old Stanley, and I have learned a lot about this funny old man who loves the opera.
Unfortunately, Stanley passed away this morning at his home. He had a persisting heart condition. I am glad to have met him towards the end of his life and hope that I will have as many stories as he did some day.