May and June appear to be the time of the year for "Volunteer Appreciation" events - from quiet little certificate presentation ceremonies to more elaborate lunches or brunches with keynote speakers to magicians. On the other hand are orgainzations that seem to forget the value of volunteers and either hold no appreciation events or actively discourage volunteers. More on that topic later.
Yesterday was the big day for Volunteers at the Carmichael Library. About 30 people showed up for a luscious brunch prepared by the library staff. The food showed that librarians can not only tell you where the cook books are located, they know how to use them. I don't have the actual rolls in front of me but from the prepared name tage it appeared that only about half the volunteers showed up and only about half the people attending the brunch were volunteers. It certainly didn't bother me to have staff there so we could get to know one another and so that staff could be reminded of the value of volunteers.
We were all reminded of the value of volunteeers by the "speaker" of the day: Bosco the Magician. Bosco was the kind of magician you want for your wedding reception or your 12-year-old kid's birthday party. The tricks were all visual and dramatic if perhaps a little too familiar. Of course, not everyone has a brother-in-law who is a semi-professional magician. Bosco kept asking for a "volunteer" then explaining how important volunteers were to him and his act just like they are to the library and it's "act" or services to the community.
It was a fun morning.
May and June appear to be the time of the year for "Volunteer Appreciation" events - from quiet little certificate presentation ceremonies to more elaborate lunches or brunches with keynote speakers to magicians. On the other hand are orgainzations that seem to forget the value of volunteers and either hold no appreciation events or actively discourage volunteers. More on that topic later.
Yesterday was the big day for Volunteers at the Carmichael Library. About 30 people showed up for a luscious brunch prepared by the library staff. The food showed that librarians can not only tell you where the cook books are located, they know how to use them. I don't have the actual rolls in front of me but from the prepared name tage it appeared that only about half the volunteers showed up and only about half the people attending the brunch were volunteers. It certainly didn't bother me to have staff there so we could get to know one another and so that staff could be reminded of the value of volunteers.
We were all reminded of the value of volunteeers by the "speaker" of the day: Bosco the Magician. Bosco was the kind of magician you want for your wedding reception or your 12-year-old kid's birthday party. The tricks were all visual and dramatic if perhaps a little too familiar. Of course, not everyone has a brother-in-law who is a semi-professional magician. Bosco kept asking for a "volunteer" then explaining how important volunteers were to him and his act just like they are to the library and it's "act" or services to the community.
It was a fun morning.
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