A Message from the VP of Volunteers

I always find it very interesting to see how other organizations handle their volunteer needs. I recently had the chance to volunteer at Wordstock and Dress for Success. Both these organizations have great missions, but very different missions. Volunteering at these organizations was a great reminder for me on how much can get done through volunteers. Wordstock had over 100 volunteers for the two day event. It was an awesome scene to see so many passionate people volunteering in a variety of roles. Authors, writers and readers all came together to showcase the written word and raise money for the community of writers. My volunteer role was very tactical. I received my task and then spent the rest of the day working pretty independently. The event was a success and the volunteers played an integral role in that success.

At Dress for Success I was able to do some one on one coaching with clients. Several volunteers spent the day educating and coaching clients that signed up for the one day event. My role was more strategic. I spent the day helping women envision the future for themselves. It was a fruitful day. I was told repeatedly “thank you” and “you made a difference”.

And isn’t that what we all aspire to do--to make a difference. Volunteering is one gift you can offer that allows everyone to benefit from your efforts. The giver benefits from a feeling of helping others and the receiver gains the benefit of a service. Volunteering helps keep me in touch with the various needs of the organizations I am interested in. I enjoy the camaraderie and of course, making things happen.

Get involved! It feels great and will give you huge rewards. There are currently many volunteer opportunities. We have exciting events, programs, technology and short term projects that can use volunteers. Check the website to find out more.

I feel it is important to recognize our volunteers. You may have noticed the featured volunteer section on our website. Check out the volunteers’ stories. We have some interesting and diverse volunteers. We also have the volunteer of the month, which comes with recognition and a gift card. The volunteer committee is currently planning our annual volunteer recognition event. We received feedback in our annual volunteer survey and have made some changes. This year the event will be in October. If you volunteer a little or a lot this year, you will be invited. We promise a great event!

The Cascadia chapter is fortunate to have such a large pool of talented, focused and committed volunteers. As a volunteer-run organization we would not exist without the time and enthusiasm of our many dedicated volunteers. Thank you for your efforts.

Seniye Groff
VP of Volunteers
sgroff@viatraining.com

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