Who Volunteers?

[quote]ZEB wrote:

[quote]Beast27195 wrote:
Why do you ask? [/quote]

Fair question, I serve on a few boards (hosp, redcross. sal army) and also do some pure volunteer work on weekends. Anyway some of the organizations that I donate my time to are having a very difficult time trying to find other volunteers. That usually means that those already involved have to pick up the slack.

I was wondering if this was something that was happening just in my area, or is prevalent across the board.

Do you volunteer?
[/quote]
Most of the volunteer groups I work with have a long list of volunteers, but most of them don’t do anything. They put their name on the list and then when it’s time to do something they’re unable to make it. Seems like it’s always a core group that ends up doing the work and sooner or later most of that group ends up burnt out. It’s happened to me once and I was on the verge of it happening again last year.

I think the issue is pretty common and doesn’t seem to matter what the type of group is.

ohh me me me!! I volunteered at the school for the Deaf in my city for a while, helping the teachers with the students etc…
Also, I volunteer anytime there is a Deaf event going on. I want to be an ASL Interpreter so I find it helpful to get involved any way I can. ANDD I think when I am done school I will volunteer my interpretering skills as much as I have time for.
I meet a lot of really good people and it helps me learn at the same time! Double win!

[quote]ZEB wrote:

[quote]DJHT wrote:

[quote]ZEB wrote:

[quote]Beast27195 wrote:
Why do you ask? [/quote]

Fair question, I serve on a few boards (hosp, redcross. sal army) and also do some pure volunteer work on weekends. Anyway some of the organizations that I donate my time to are having a very difficult time trying to find other volunteers. That usually means that those already involved have to pick up the slack.

I was wondering if this was something that was happening just in my area, or is prevalent across the board.

Do you volunteer?
[/quote]

Are you married? Do you have kids? If no to both then I applaud you sir and keep up the good work. If you do…then what is going on at home that you dont want to be there?[/quote]

LOL-- The boards meet only once per month so that’s not that huge of a time commitment. And I am married and my wife serves with me over half the time. We take on various charitable projects together. I’ve also roped my brother in law into helping out as well. Honestly broken down per hour it is not a huge time commitment and lots of really great things get done when everyone pitches in.[/quote]

Kids? I am not being an ass, but between kids, wife, working out and my job I couldnt even do that. I am on three organizations for work so I can network and grow the area that I live in. Like I said someday I will do it but right now no chance in hell.

[quote]ZEB wrote:

[quote]RSGZ wrote:
Seriously though, I don’t volunteer nor do I donate to most charities. Many of them are known to only pass on a small percentage of what they are given to the actual cause, a percentage that I consider too small. I think that a lot of them take advantage of peoples good nature.[/quote]

So then you donate directly to the needy with no middleman?[/quote]

Well, yes and no.

I’ve helped setup a few charity events that raise money directly for places like the Meningitis Research Foundation - a friend (his project primarily) and I raised £15k from a rugby game for them last year.

This year, he’s walking across the US for the Tag Trust.

[quote]ZEB wrote:
Anyway some of the organizations that I donate my time to are having a very difficult time trying to find other volunteers. That usually means that those already involved have to pick up the slack.

I was wondering if this was something that was happening just in my area, or is prevalent across the board.

Do you volunteer?
[/quote]

That is interesting. I’ve volunteered for a charity called Project Healing Waters. It is a program to help disabled and injured veterans get out on the water and do some fishing, fly tying and rod building (varies regionally).

The thing is, there are too many volunteers. You get maybe a dozen veterans, and 20 guys there to help. Most of them just want free access to private waters but end up doing something good in the process.

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
Yeah man, I treat lots of people for free - if they need it.

Used to volunteer with autistic kids, but now that I have a criminal record, that kind of thing is out the window I guess, though I may look for other volunteer work that involves adults who can make their own minds up about a thing :wink:

BBB[/quote]

Haha…How did you get a criminal record BBB?

Who - Habitat for Humanity
When - when I am able to
Where - wherever I happen to be living

I donate my plasma and a special antibody that I developed so that WinRho can be made, it saves babies.

me and my girlfriend both work with mentally and physically disabled children, in part of an organisation that organises trip and essential care. And I do a lot of volunteer work giving free swimming lessons at a local pool

[quote]ZEB wrote:
I was wondering how many members actively volunteer to either serve on boards of charities, or simply volunteer their time for a good cause. If so please list the organizations that you serve, or the amount of time spent each week volunteering to help others in some fashion.

Thanks.

Zeb

[/quote]

My brother and I run Charity bootcamps (We are both personal trainers) during holiday seasons. We charge 1 non perishable food item for a spot in a pretty exclusive bootcamp for the 3 weeks before thanksgiving and 1 toy 3 weeks before xmas. We do this in a pretty wealthy area, so we are generally able to make pretty sizable donations to a food pantry and toys for tots. That’s about 4 hours a month. Not much, but it’s what we can swing.

I’ve been thinking about doing a mentoring program, however. Any good programs would be cool. I’ve been training highschool athletes and stuff, making them as badass as me, and it feels good. Having these kids play whatever sport in college at D1 schools, and feel like I had something to do with it is an awesome feeling. Would like to be able to positively influence a kid and have them look back and say I saved them in some way, shape, or form. So any ideas on where I can mentor and help someone that wants to be helped / Big brother type programs?

4 hours a week at an old folks home. Nothing fancy, feed the ones that can’t feed themselves, talk to the others.