Volunteer work: cause & effect

[Possegal]

I've done a lot of volunteer work. When I was pretty fresh out of grad school, I had little money but wanted to give back in some way. The county I live in has a program for people who want to volunteer but can't commit to doing something on a regular basis. So they have a lot of different things, you get the newsletter, there is a team leader, you sign up and do the one event. I ended up as a team leader and had a reputation for doing many of the events with the adult developmentally disabled, every team leader seemed to have their niche. When my mother would come visit me, she'd do events with me, I loved that. When she died, I sort of crawled in a shell for a long time, and I got out of doing that. I've done some volunteering with a singles group, figuring if I was in search of Mr Right, I may as well accomplish some good things in the process. Still no Mr Right, but I did like doing so many different projects. I've helped landscape at the National Zoo, packed meals for people living with HIV, painted a home for women who were abused, baked goodies at a home for disabled that we then took to a homeless shelter, fed the homeless, my favorite event was a monthly dance for adult disabled - that was a blast and I can still see my mother out there dancing with everyone and anyone. I then worked one night a month at the BINGO held at that center that helped fund the dances. My mother and I joked that all good Catholic girls eventually end up at BINGO.

I really should get back to that, now that I'm typing about it.

What did I get out of it? Just the feeling that I was giving back to a world that, despite how tough things have sometimes been for me, has really given me so very much. As sad as I can be about certain aspects of my life, it never hurts to remind myself that in the grand scheme of things, I've done quite well in this world and so very many others have not. My parents instilled in us kids the whole concept of "to those whom much is given, much is expected". I guess that is why I've done a lot of volunteer work.

[newfsmith]

My working life was pretty time consuming, 50 and 60 hour weeks were common, so by the time I took care of 2 kids, hubby, and house there was nothing left. One of my goals when I retired was to find something I could do as a volunteer to give back for all those years of just working. I had considered both MassHort and New England Wildflower Society, but then after I built my first bike and realized how empowering that was, and what a sense of accomplishment it gave me, I knew I wanted to do something with kids and cycling. For me Bikes-not-Bombs was the answer. I'm about to start my second session as an adult volunteer in the earn-a-bike program for 12 to 18 year old boys and girls from inner-city Boston. I get a tremendous kick out of it, seeing the kids doing something they didn't think they could do, playing ice-breaker games with them, having them ask me if it would be OK to call me "Miss Jean", going on rides with them, even nagging them to check their bike before riding. I feel like I'm helping the individual kids as well as the biking community. In addition to the earn-a-bike program I've been going in one night a week to help get bikes ready to ship to Central America or Africa to the international programs. Some will be turned into water-pumps, corn mills, or power blenders used to process other crops. Others become transportation for kids to go to school or people to get to jobs. This feels so good I think I ought to pay them for the privilege of doing it.

[DebW]

Wow, that's great Jean. I used to volunteer as a Red Cross first aid and CPR instructor. Did that for about 18 years. It was rewarding, thinking you might teach someone skills that would save lives. Now I'm a volunteer trail maintainer on the Massachusetts Appalachian Trail, and part of the Mass. AT Management Committee. The work is really fun, if you like to wield sharp tools in the woods. And I've learned new skills, like how to build a composting privy and dig waterbars (hmm, maybe I wouldn't NEED those skills if I didn't work on the trail).

[Tuckervill]

My working life was pretty time consuming, 50 and 60 hour weeks were common, so by the time I took care of 2 kids, hubby, and house there was nothing left. One of my goals when I retired was to find something I could do as a volunteer to give back for all those years of just working. I had considered both MassHort and New England Wildflower Society, but then after I built my first bike and realized how empowering that was, and what a sense of accomplishment it gave me, I knew I wanted to do something with kids and cycling. For me Bikes-not-Bombs was the answer. I'm about to start my second session as an adult volunteer in the earn-a-bike program for 12 to 18 year old boys and girls from inner-city Boston. I get a tremendous kick out of it, seeing the kids doing something they didn't think they could do, playing ice-breaker games with them, having them ask me if it would be OK to call me "Miss Jean", going on rides with them, even nagging them to check their bike before riding. I feel like I'm helping the individual kids as well as the biking community. In addition to the earn-a-bike program I've been going in one night a week to help get bikes ready to ship to Central America or Africa to the international programs. Some will be turned into water-pumps, corn mills, or power blenders used to process other crops. Others become transportation for kids to go to school or people to get to jobs. This feels so good I think I ought to pay them for the privilege of doing it.

Can you tell me more about earn-a-bike? How do they earn it?

Thanks!
Karen

[Tuckervill]

I'm a bit of a "professional" volunteer. I have operated the local baseball league for the last 3 years. I hand out water at marathons and drive SAG or pick up trash at bike races. I have formed and administered homeschool support groups and cooperatives. I was a Campfire USA leader.

Yesterday I drove SAG for our racing team's training camp, and then ended up cooking some of the meal at the end of the day. (I couldn't ride those hills this early in the season, so I might as well help out.)

I'm in a transition period right now. My last year on the board of the baseball league (my son is aging out, and though it's not a requirement to have a child in the league, I'm just going to be focusing elsewhere). I'm hoping to play more of a role in the cycling club, which is new and growing, and which I'm more excited about than baseball.

I'm also transitioning to an empty nest and that might/probably mean a real job or career. I think that will cut down on the hours I have to volunteer, but I plan to do it forever.

Karen

[shootingstar]

newsmith --6,000 bikes, that's great! For apartment and condo buildings that have bike storage..it's amazing how much can pile up. I've lived in 2 such buildings and it can be a problem.

There are residents who don't use their bikes and if building managers/condo boards knew about the bike donation program, this would help them.

[Mr. Bloom]

I'm a big fan of community service. I tend to get involved with feeding/clothing/crisis shelter organizations.

I've found that in working with folks going through a tough time, while you're giving them help, what they really benefit from is someone to talk to and listen to them in a non-judgemental way. Human interaction is an amazing elixir for the pain of tough times.

[indysteel]

Right now, most of my volunteer hours are taken up by board work. I'm on my second year as a board member for a local chapter of the YMCA. That's been a learning experience for sure. I wish it were more "hand's on," but it involves fundraising more than anything else.

I'm also on the programming committee for my state's "economic club." I'm not really sure where that involvement is going; it's really not a very good fit for me, but a good friend asked me to get involved and it seemed like a good opportunity for me.

Each summer, I also lead a weekend ride for our cycling club that surprisingly takes a fair amount of time. Our club marks and SAGS all of its rides, so leading a ride involves a fair amount of work.

Until recently, I helped with a not-for-profit that provides low cost housing to the homeless. I stopped helping with them because, to be honest, I never felt very valued, although I do believe in what they do.

[sundial]

I'm a big fan of community service. I tend to get involved with feeding/clothing/crisis shelter organizations.

I've found that in working with folks going through a tough time, while you're giving them help, what they really benefit from is someone to talk to and listen to them in a non-judgemental way. Human interaction is an amazing elixir for the pain of tough times.

I agree. Dad volunteers his time with a mobile disaster unit. Some of the stories he shares is quite moving. Mother spends time creating new doll clothes for dolls and teddy bears to be passed out to needy families.

I like to foster doggies and find good homes for them. It's amazing how you can reach out to so many people through a pet. I have visited the juvenile center with my dogs and so many of the kids could relate to my Niki who was abandoned and neglected as a pup. They really start opening up when they work with Niki.

[sundial]

I'm also transitioning to an empty nest and that might/probably mean a real job or career. I think that will cut down on the hours I have to volunteer, but I plan to do it forever.

Tuck, maybe you can develop cycling tours in your part of the state. If you start up supported chick rides, count me in.

[Tuckervill]

Hmm, maybe! I'd have to get to be a better rider, first!

Karen

[Eden]

Can you tell me more about earn-a-bike? How do they earn it?

Thanks!
Karen

There's a program around here like that too - a shop called Bike Works runs it. The kids earn a bike by coming in and learning to do maintenance. They earn a bike of their own by fixing other bikes. 24 hours of volunteer work, after the class, earns them a bike. The shop also sends bikes to Ghana. I almost gave them my old Trek, but it came up that a kids group home that was literally at the end of my street was looking for bikes for the kids, so I gave it to them instead.

[newfsmith]

How many bikes will your organization be shipping out overseas?.

Can you tell me more about earn-a-bike? How do they earn it?

Shootingstar, about 6,000 bikes a year are shipped oversees. They are all donated bikes, most are lower-end, but some are newish good bikes. MTBs are especially desireable for shipping. Close to another 1,000 bikes are used for the earn-a-bike program and reconditioned and sold in the bike shop. If the frames are damaged they are stripped and the parts are shipped overseas of the programs to use to repair bikes locally. If the parts are trash we try to send as much as possible to re-cycling programs, especially the aluminum.

Karen, the kids earn their bikes by coming after school 4 days a week for a 5 week class, where they learn bike safety and mechanics. They sign in and out of class. Those class and ride time hours count toward their bike but most of them choose a bike that requires some hours being spent as a volunteer, helping get bikes ready to ship. Disassembling bikes gives them more mechanical experience, and helping to load the shipping containers gives them a sense of giving to others that are in greater need than themselves. Many of the kids go on to the advanced EAB to build another bike, and qualify to be a youth instructor. Some will enroll in the vocational course to train as bike mechanics. Grads of that are hired by the local shops or work in the BNB shop where they recondition used bikes for sale and do repair work just as in any other shop. Here's a link http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/youth

[shootingstar]

When my mother would come visit me, she'd do events with me, I loved that. When she died, I sort of crawled in a shell for a long time, and I got out of doing that.

Glad you got back into it. Those events that you did with your mother are precious memories. Sounds like you're carrying part of her spirit forward.

And newsmith, I haven't gotten involved in any volunteer work, where kids would call me "Miss Jean". I'm a Jean also, in real life. How many bikes will your organization be shipping out overseas?

And abit unlike all 3 of you, including DebW, outside of my past volunteer cycling work, it's more I guess cerebral, inside stuff but still working with others.. During university I did volunteer work for a few years working in resource centre on resources on the developing countries and race relations. (the work did influence my career choice later). Afterwards 3 years for an alternative press magazine that specialized in Asian-Canadian literature, arts and social issues. Lots of work, some brilliant people and we had paid subscription mailing list of 300 from all over North America. Then volunteered for a non-profit on their national board plus fundraising, helping transcribe oral interviews for a book on experiences of some women. Organization was on race relations, human rights and immigrant service matters.

In between here and there, were the near obligatory volunteer work for professional associations that was more career/work-related. Editor of newsletter, conference papers, etc.

Then for personal interest volunteering...totally switched to cycling. ..which wasn't totally that far-removed, given the "lower" status of cycling in the big transportation world.

What I learned most was from working with some of the other volunteers in all of these organizations. Just incredible and inspiring. Unbelievable how much energy and time some folks will give.

[badger]

I've been volunteering at the SPCA hospital for 10 years now. I got all my animals there, and I'm currently fostering a really old yorkie for the week until his cruelty investigation finishes. The organization may have some flaws, but the people there are top-notch.

I used to also volunteer at the Vancouver Aquarium and got to do such cool things like feeding the otters and the tropical fishes. It was oh-so-fun, but i just couldn't fit it around my schedule any longer so I had to say good-bye after almost 10 years.