Meet Mayzie: Religious Services Volunteer

Mayzie Garrison, Religious Services VolunteerAs I begin talking with Mayzie and asking how long has she has volunteered with DCJ, she realizes that this month marks her 20th year serving the young women at the Donald E. Long (DEL) Juvenile Custody facility. Mayzie first visited DEL when a friend, who was a Religious Services Volunteer, invited her to join her during a visit. When her friend moved on, Mayzie felt obligated to fill that void the young women would be missing.

DEL holds religious services once a week and Mayzie has consistently volunteered on the first Sunday of each month, contributing one hour on the girls’ unit. “I enjoy listening to the girls, and having five daughters made the transition pretty easy.’’ Giving them support, and accepting the girls for who they are and how they show up, is what makes the environment and experience valuable for Mayzie.

“Music is a good place to start!” “We sing and listen for about half an hour, and there is a message in each song we listen to.” There is no judging for singing off key, moving to the beat or requesting a song and Mayzie feels this is why the girls love the group. Services also include a religious studies component where participants can ask questions or just talk. “I want to see the girls succeed, and most of the conversations are about letting the girls know that they can do it through perseverance, no matter the obstacles,” Mayzie declares. Nearly each week a girl wants her to stay longer or come back more often. “Its astonishing, a wow moment, when a girl comes to me after services and shares with me about her life” Mayzie said.

Mayzie is retired, so much of her time is spent with her family, and she loves doing things in and with her community, including being an Uber driver. Mayzie finishes our chat by adding that if she could do anything, it would be to have a home for girls who age out of the juvenile system. Mayzie acknowledged that “It’s hard for them to transition.” From her own experience, she knows how hard it is to reintegrate back into society. Her home would be “A normal life, safe, and a place for hugs. They would learn from their mistakes and not be judged.” Her dedication is serious, Mayzie loves football but has missed each Superbowl for the past 20 years to keep her Sunday volunteer shift.