Sun City prides itself on its volunteers, to the extent it's our nickname. You've heard me talk about my time spent in the club, which depends on volunteers as well. If it didn't we wouldn't survive a week. Next week we have our last membership meeting before our snowbirds scatter, with pot luck and a pizza party which we are throwing to honor our volunteers. Being current President I get to (have to) set the agenda for these meetings, and they open with timely comments. For example, when we came back from our months long closure from covid, there was a long moment of remembrance for all those lost to us from whatever reasons. October is often welcoming old friends back. November tends to be acknowledging those who served in their country's military, not just ours because we come from three different ones to spend warm winters here. February was remembering loved ones, here or not, and thinking about that special smile or other favorite memories.
In thinking about Monday, I'm planning on having everybody give a show of hands if they have volunteered for this club in various ways. We all think of monitoring, since that is a requirement. It's a position as both greeter and periodically wandering around making sure equipment is being used safely. If no monitor signed up, everybody leaves. Period. That call out usually brings somebody to volunteer to monitor for a couple hours to keep the club open. But we have also closed the doors.
There are a lot of other ways we volunteer, and I started a list. By the time I get through it Monday I bet there will be more than a few sore arms from going up and down, up and down. FYI I did decide against having people stand for each one they've done. I'm not the only one who hasn't been or no longer is in a position to be bouncing in and out of their chair. I'll ask them to raise their hands if they have ever:
-been a club officer-monitored
-served on the jewelry selection committee
-taught a formal class or workshop
-showed another person how to do something they didn’t know
-told another where to find something either in the club or from a different supplier
-greeted somebody walking in the door and made them feel welcome and at home here
-showed a prospective member around the club so they can see what all we do here
-worked at a festival in any capacity
-worked in the jewelry store
-worked in the supply room
-cleaned up somebody else’s mess
-repaired club equipment
-shopped for club supplies
-bought something another club member made, encouraging them to keep going
-donated anything to the club, money or something else
-administrative duties like membership, tracking volunteer hours
-preparing flyers or business cards, sending notices to the papers,
-made signs,
-organized the calendar board for the next month
-worked to make or improve club forms or bylaws
-reorganized club space
-mixed chemicals like pickle or saw lube when they were needed
-given a ride to another club member, either to/from club or elsewhere when they needed it
-planned or set up for a meeting, event or party, cleaned afterwards
-made something that sold in the store, bringing in funds to the club
-helped design this club space before it was built
-built something for use in the club
Once you start thinking about how we help out, the list doesn't seem to stop. It will be longer by Monday's meeting. Most of it we don't get credit for volunteer hours from doing, but it all gets done and keeps us going. When enough of us chip in, we don't get burned out. Combined, it makes the club feel like a family, the very best kind.
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