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Rozafa (Rosie) Bytyqi was born and raised in Kosovo, a small country in Southeast Europe. She spent most of her life t``here until she married her husband and moved to Japan in February 2020. Being away from her home country was difficult in the beginning, however, in September 2021, volunteering at the USO gave Rosie the chance to integrate, meet new people, and give back to the community here at Yokota Air Base. During this period, Rosie has recorded 74 hours spanning over 26 Center Volunteer shifts. Despite her fear of being shy, she has stepped out of her comfort zone by participating in and leading seven special events and programs. These events included Spouse Coffee Connections, Fly by Airmen lunches and the installation-sponsored Winter Wonderland event that had over 3,000 in attendance. It was through these special events and programs that Rosie had the opportunity to foster friendships with other like-minded volunteers and patrons who have never been away from home or to a new country and make them feel at home. Moreover, her support to our center has connected well over 860 patrons back to their families, homes, and countries, in which she has been an integral part over these last four months. Though she has had a short time volunteering with the USO, the impact she has made with our center, programs, and the community have been noticed by all and commented on. In fact, her commitment and dedication to the USO’s mission cemented Rosie earning the January 2022 Volunteer of the Month Award.
Q: What is your favorite memory volunteering at the USO? A: “My favorite memory from volunteering is the Spouse Coffee Connections. Seeing new spouses being welcomed to the community and connecting with each other brings me joy.”
Q: Besides volunteering, what else do you like to do in your free time? A: “Besides volunteering, I like to go on hikes and read books.”
