Wait, 90 projects? In one year? You must be
joking…
As the volunteer services manager, when I brought up the idea of
accomplishing 90 volunteer projects for the
90th anniversary of United Way California Capital Region,
everybody loved the idea but also thought I was little bit crazy
for trying to take on such a huge task. But you know what? WE can
do this. What better reason for individuals in our communities
who together make up so many companies, unions and groups to make
such a difference in one year? A difference not only for so many
of our nonprofit partners as a whole but also for the thousands
of people they serve each year. I am confident in YOU, our
community members.
What does volunteering mean to you? Sure,
volunteering makes you feel good. When you volunteer you are
reaching out to your community with your own two hands and making
a tangible difference.United Way California Capital Region and
the148 local certified nonprofit organizations we partner with
rely on volunteers to help achieve the big goals of our
community.We certainly can’t do it alone.We need the heads, hands
and hearts of committed people like you to help us tackle the
problems facing our communities.
That’s where you come in. And I sincerely mean
you…the person reading this. Yes, you.
Yes, it’s true. It wasn’t that hard to convince me to participate
a second time because of the amount of fun I had in last year’s
inaugural event. Some may even say it was too easy, considering
the blisters and bruises that followed. True, walking a mile in
high heels and this year on a more visible course with a larger
number of spectators isn’t my typical way to spend a Saturday.
But after walking with an incredible group of guys last year who
were all there to support WEAVE, how could I resist?
In my opinion, WEAVE is a extremely worthy cause. The
organization provides crisis intervention services to women, men
and children in Sacramento County who have experienced domestic
violence or have been sexually assaulted. It is WEAVE’s mission
to bring an end to domestic violence and sexual assault in
partnership with our community. I’ve seen first hand the efforts
of WEAVE and the dedicated staff who work incredibly hard to make
a difference.
We all struggle to find extra time to give back, with busy lives
and obligations beyond our capacity. However, getting involved
and supporting your community can be easier than you think.
Especially when you think outside the box and help out in a
non-traditional way. I’d say two men strapping on a pair of red
high heels is pretty non-traditional. But then again, so is
holding a toilet paper drive…the possibilities are endless!
When I joined the United Way California Capital Region team in
June of this year, I was certainly told about the chaos that is
campaign season. I’ll be honest…I couldn’t wait to be a part of
it! Our nearly 150 certified non-profit agencies have been so
inspiring. And to my pleasant surprise, so have the donors.
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