Volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations. Whether the mission is education, social service or community improvement, attracting and retaining good volunteers can make the difference between success and failure.
Savvy nonprofits have learned to be more flexible with volunteers, allowing busy individuals and even families to donate time when they can. Static, hours-long assignments have given way to aid that can be rendered over the Internet, by telephone or in short blocks of time.
The rewards of volunteer service are best described by the volunteers themselves. Each commitment is different but all come from that passionate place where people believe that by standing up how and when they can, things can change for the better.
Who: Joe Clements, retired Department of Public Safety public information officer
Where: Camp Fire
What: fundraising plus providing safety training for Camp Fire after-school program van drivers.
"If you've been blessed in life, it's important to give back to the community and I've been very blessed. Right now I try to spread my time out between Camp Fire, the (Wichita Falls Public) Library Board and Boys & Girls Clubs where I've volunteered for more than 20 years.
"Whatever I've done, really, I've always tried to focus on helping kids, working with them in the schools to help them make good choices and become productive citizens. You don't get paid monetarily but you know, when you invest in your community the rewards don't fluctuate with the stock market."
Who: Kristie Howard, insurance professional
Where: Child Advocates' Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program.
What: acting as friend and court advocate for children who have been removed from their homes by Child Protective Services.
"It's rewarding and challenging. Right now I've working with two teenagers. We talk on the phone every week and plan outings twice a month, go bowling or just sit at the Sonic and talk. Sometimes I can get called on at other times and the court appearances can be difficult but in terms of what it means to these children, it's worth it.
"I have 10- and 5-year-old girls who know I spend time with the CASA girls. They understand that sometimes other kids need someone to help them. They and my husband have been very supportive. They see the good in it."
Who: Lynn Owen and her 14-year-old daughter Whitney
Where: River Bend Nature Center
What: Lynn and Whitney have volunteered for ElectriCritters, River Bend's holiday light display, and BugFest for several years.
"ElectriCritters has always been fun for us, a holiday event. But we stay on the rotation list and all of us (including her 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter) have helped on a cleanup day. We don't have a lot of time but it's important to support the community. For me that usually means something that involves my kids.
"You want to set a good example. None of us volunteer regularly but my son has helped on a Habitat for Humanity project and the kids will rake leaves for the neighbors without saying anything. Something good always comes from helping."
