Aaron Umen

How to Find Purpose Through Volunteering

June 17, 2021 By Aaron Umen Leave a Comment

Nonprofits are always in need of extra hands to help with their operations, but it can be difficult for someone who wants to volunteer to know what organization they would like to help. Aaron Umen is an avid volunteer, and he’s shared his thoughts on the matter below.

He believes you should first do some soul searching to discover what motivates you as an individual, then research nonprofit organizations near you and what their mission statements are. From there you can consider how connected you feel to the organization and decide whether you would feel fulfillment from volunteering there.

You might need to volunteer a few times before you know if it is the right organization for you, but nonetheless they will be happy to have an extra set of hands around. Try volunteering at a few different types of organizations, maybe there is a certain type of work you prefer over others. By fine tuning what you’re looking to get out of the experience you can set yourself up for long, beneficial relationships with the organization, your community, and yourself.

How to Prevent These 4 Common Tennis Injuries

June 3, 2021 By Aaron Umen Leave a Comment

Just like with any physical activity, there is always the chance of getting injured. With tennis, the most common injuries happen to the elbow, wrist, knees, and toes. Tennis enthusiast Aaron Umen gives his advice on how to prevent these four common injuries.

You may have heard of “tennis elbow,” and this is a common condition that occurs where the tendons in your arm connect at the elbow joint. Since tennis involves extending your arms straight and exerting enough force to change the direction of the ball, it makes sense that the arm area will be the most likely culprit for injuries. Because there are a lot of short sprints and changes in direction on the court to return the ball, your knees and toes can bear similar injuries to your arms as well.

It may seem obvious, but the best medicine is preventative medicine, so be sure to properly warm up the body before playing the sport. With joint injuries, applying a cold compress to the affected area for twenty minutes can help reduce any swelling. Beyond that, anti-inflammatory gels and creams can help loosen your joints up again and reduce any pain.

Be sure to cool down with static stretches after playing tennis because holding long stretches can help increase your range of motion and allow the muscles to recover faster! Plus, a faster recovery means the quicker you’ll be able to get back on the court!

Bird Migration in Colorado

May 3, 2021 By Aaron Umen Leave a Comment

Did you know that you can help birds migrate? Aaron Umen, a volunteer at World Bird Sanctuary, explains how:

Residents of Colorado are being urged to ‘kill the lights.’ Why? Because turning off your outdoor night lights can actually help birds migrate properly. Experts have estimated that more than 12 million birds are in the process of migrating from Colorado and Utah. But unfortunately, light pollution confuses the birds during their night travel hours…

Aaron Umen stands by experts’ claims that reducing light pollution could greatly assist birds in their migration process. When the task is as simple as keeping your lights off, why not help birds peacefully and properly migrate? These creatures need our help — so let’s help the birds, Colorado!

Have you ever handled an exotic raptor?

April 15, 2021 By Aaron Umen Leave a Comment

If you visit World Bird Sanctuary, you can! Volunteer, Aaron Umen explains how you can handle a bird of prey for yourself:

Raptors are fascinating creatures. In fact, these birds of prey are among Aaron Umen’s favorite animals of all time! While volunteering at World Bird Sanctuary, Umen has had the incredible opportunity to handle these fiercely intelligent birds.

And now, you can too — if you visit World Bird Sanctuary, that is!

The Handle an Exotic Raptor is an incredible learning opportunity. A chance to get up close and personal with a talon-ted raptor, there’s nothing quite like meeting a raptor! This event is held daily at 2 PM at World Bird Sanctuary. For more information, check out the events page on the World Bird Sanctuary official website.

Where did the birds in OK go?

March 3, 2021 By Aaron Umen Leave a Comment

The winter weather has mixed things up for Oklahomans like never before. This season, even the birds aren’t exempt from the confusion. World Bird Sanctuary volunteer, Aaron Umen, discusses:

In Oklahoma, locals are asking the question where did the birds go?

Of course, it’s not unusual for birds to migrate during the colder months. But something has seemed all together off this year. According to The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, birds have demonstrated unique habits this year. With many birds desperate for food in these weather-torn conditions, some species have started to gravitate toward urban areas, like Oklahoma City. This has demonstrated an increased population of bluebirds — a species that rarely visit backyard bird feeders. Yet, in these birds’ desperation, many are flocking to bird feeders like never before in hope of food.

Australian Open welcomes tennis spectators

February 17, 2021 By Aaron Umen Leave a Comment

Tennis fans attending a Grand Slam in-person… now there’s an idea many would not have imagined months ago! Thanks to the end of Melbourne’s COVID-prompted lockdown, crowds are able to attend the Australian Open.

Aaron Umen and tennis fans alike are ecstatic to see a slight return to normal in the sports sphere. Due to the end of Melbourne, Australia’s lockdown, spectators are now able to attend the Australian Open: in person! This is major for anyone who has missed being able to watch sporting events live and on location. It may be a small step toward normalcy, but it is a major stop nonetheless!