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Harvest of Volunteers
5 Ideas to Plant the Seeds of Enthusiasm and Reap the Rewards
This is the season in which many people stop to give thanks for all
the things they have, and many feel the urge to give something of
themselves in return. This is your chance to "harvest" new
volunteers-and to watch current volunteers grow. According to Susan
J. Ellis, co-author of the best-selling book, The (Help!) I-Don't-Have-Enough-Time
Guide to Volunteer Management: "Recruitment is a process
of sowing seeds, nurturing relationships, and sensing when the time
is right to gather together!"
Here are five simple ideas to reap the biggest volunteer harvest
at this time of year:
- Thanksgiving is a family-centered holiday. Develop an intergenerational
project that families can do together. Invite current volunteers
to bring along their children, parents, or any extended family members
for a day of service. Approach faith communities located in your
neighborhood to publicize this "Family Day" as a way to
express thanks while helping others (your organization).
- Everyone eats too much during the holidays. Why not capitalize
on this with a "Work Off the Holiday Calories" event the
week after? This is a chance to get that recreation room painted,
those bookshelves built, or the garden raked and tidied. Again,
offer this to volunteers already active with you or go to a nearby
place of business and post some timely--and humorous--recruitment
flyers. After these newcomers have enjoyed their day of physical
labor, make sure they learn about other ways they can share their
skills as volunteers throughout the year.
- Give every current volunteer 5 postcards decorated with seasonal
graphics. The pre-printed message could read: "A Time to Share--I
really enjoy the time I spend volunteering with XYZ agency, especially
knowing that I am helping others. Thanksgiving is a holiday of abundance.
Would you like to learn more about how you can share your talent
and skills? My next volunteer shift is on: ________________, at
________. Come with me and see if you fit in, too." Volunteers
then personalize the card and mail it to 5 friends or colleagues,
or post it on their work bulletin board.
- Send an e-mail to all volunteers (or put up a poster where volunteers
will see it) to encourage more involvement. Head it with something
like: "We gather together…on the Monday after Thanksgiving!"
Explain: "Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to say how much
we appreciate every one of you. We also know that each of you has
abundant talent, with skills that we want to harvest. Any time on
the Monday after Thanksgiving, we welcome you to join us in the
Volunteer Office (bring your leftovers and have lunch with us) to
talk and to add to our Idea Wall. Share your answers to these two
questions: What else might volunteers do that we have not yet considered?
What skill do YOU have that we have not yet tapped to help our agency?"
- The Friday after Thanksgiving is a day many people take as an
extra holiday. Often they do lots of shopping. Print up bookmarks
(make them look nice) with to-the-point recruitment information
and give every volunteer a handful. Ask them to distribute the bookmarks
around town. Some ideas: take some to the library; ask a favorite
restaurant or bookstore if a small pile could be placed near the
cash register; ask merchants if they can be inserted into shopping
bags; give them to friends as a bookmark "gift," just
to remind them about your agency.
When you are finally done with all those leftovers, and are ready
for more information on volunteerism, call for a FREE catalog of Energize
materials: (800)395-9800 [in Philadelphia (215) 438-8342], or fax
(215) 428-0434. Or write to Energize at: 5450 Wissahickon Ave, Box
C-13, Philadelphia, PA 19144. Please visit our Web site <http://www.energizeinc.com>,
a cornucopia of over 1000 pages of information especially for leaders
of volunteers.
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Note to editors: You have permission to reproduce
this press release as an article in your publication without needing
to contact Energize further. We simply ask that you include the
full contact information included below in anything you print and
please send us a copy of the actual publication. Thank you.
Contact Information for Reprints:
Energize, Inc., www.energizeinc.com
5450 Wissahickon Ave.
Philadlephia, PA 19144
(215) 438-8342
info@energizeinc.com
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