The last couple of months have included volunteering in New York City on September 11th, volunteering lots with AmeriCorps Alums, and volunteering on a TeamWorks team on cycling with Hands On Portland!
New York City on September 11th
I had the honor of participating in an event called the Service Nation Summit on September 11th-13th in New York City. The event included a forum on service with both Presidential candidates the evening of September 11th and then a day of summit-ing on both the 12th and 13th. At the summit I heard Queen Noor of Jordan, Jeffrey Sachs, Jon Bon Jovi, Senator Chris Dodd, First Lady Laura Bush, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Orrin Hatch, Mayor Bloomberg, Caroline Kennedy, Alicia Keyes, and lots of other leaders talk about the importance of service. It was very inspiring!
To watch the candidates...
McCain... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdjO055AChs.
Obama... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1yPFwtF5M4
To learn more about Service Nation and sign your declaration of service.
http://www.bethechangeinc.org/servicenation
As part of the summit Orrin Hatch announced a new national service bill that he and Senator Kennedy developed. It is thrilling to see national service on both candidate's agendas and to see such wonderful support from Congress for its expansion!
Hands On Portland Team Works
One great program that happens at many Hands On organizations is something called Team Works. It is an opportunity to link together a few different service projects all around one theme. I have been participating in a Team Works team all on cycling the last month. We have assembled safety kits for the Portland police to distribute to cyclists who don't have lights on their bikes, we have helped with a celebration for Bike to Work month, and tomorrow we will be at the Community Cycling Center, which is a great local biking organization. The great benefit of this format is that one can start to see how different organizations work together or how to address community needs with the new knowledge one gains from different approaches to the same need.
AmeriCorps Alums
Things are going well with Alums. Locally we hosted a great focus group on the future of Alums and mobilized to encourage Gordon Smith to co-sponsor the Kennedy Hatch Bill that I mentioned above. We now have a reputation with Smith's office as being "aggressive!" Ha! Nationally we have developed our three year strategic plan, chosen an amazing new group of Leadership Council members, and have our fall retreat in a little over a week.
TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS as of 10/18/08: 241.25 in 253 days. I am 12 hours behind my one hour per day goal... but I'll catch up!
18 October 2008
19 August 2008
Olympics Volunteers
How many volunteers do you think it takes to put on an Olympics?
10,000?
100,000?
Try 1,700,000!
Here is more information from the Beijing Olympics website...
http://en.beijing2008.cn/volunteers/news/n214527376.shtml
I am thinking about being a volunteer in London. Anyone want to join? I bet you get a great t-shirt and maybe a coke every now and then!
10,000?
100,000?
Try 1,700,000!
Here is more information from the Beijing Olympics website...
http://en.beijing2008.cn/volunteers/news/n214527376.shtml
I am thinking about being a volunteer in London. Anyone want to join? I bet you get a great t-shirt and maybe a coke every now and then!
09 August 2008
New Volunteering Research
I have admitted previously that I love volunteering research. There is some exciting new stuff out that shows city trends, too!
Click here for all the great information!
Total Volunteer Hours as of 8/9/08: 212.75
6 months in... an average of 35 hours a month... a little over an hour a day!
Today I thinking being a volunteer at the Olympics must be an amazing opportunity! Maybe in Vancouver in two years?
Click here for all the great information!
Total Volunteer Hours as of 8/9/08: 212.75
6 months in... an average of 35 hours a month... a little over an hour a day!
Today I thinking being a volunteer at the Olympics must be an amazing opportunity! Maybe in Vancouver in two years?
Let's get it started... again.
I had a friend send an email as the "Blog Police" asking what happened to the blog. I appreciated the nudge. After the May 20th entry, I set a standard I couldn't keep up. Volunteering with a former president? How do I follow that?
Well, I got myself psyched out. Sometimes I find it scary to volunteer. I will admit it. One Saturday I was signed up to volunteer at an organization that I LOVE... this was the first time I had a chance to volunteer with them and I was so excited they called me. But, as the opportunity got closer, I started to get nervous. I thought to myself "I won't know anyone there." "What if I can't do the work?" "What if I hate it?" I did the unthinkable... I didn't show.
I was a NO SHOW!
I am embarrassed to say it.
But, the reality is... volunteering can be scary. A new locale. A new group of people. A new skill. AAAHHH!
It's not always easy!
Well, I got myself psyched out. Sometimes I find it scary to volunteer. I will admit it. One Saturday I was signed up to volunteer at an organization that I LOVE... this was the first time I had a chance to volunteer with them and I was so excited they called me. But, as the opportunity got closer, I started to get nervous. I thought to myself "I won't know anyone there." "What if I can't do the work?" "What if I hate it?" I did the unthinkable... I didn't show.
I was a NO SHOW!
I am embarrassed to say it.
But, the reality is... volunteering can be scary. A new locale. A new group of people. A new skill. AAAHHH!
It's not always easy!
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