I’ve volunteered before and never thought too much of it. But I recently heard a statistic that blew me away. I just learned that if volunteers were paid, they’d receive 43% of the nonprofit sector’s wages! That’s huge. Volunteers are an integral part of nonprofit operations.
We’re lucky to have many different types of volunteers here. Just about a week ago, on Saturday, September 24, a group of volunteers from Oracle came out and helped us clean our outside play area for one of our child development centers. Yes, I said Saturday. I don’t know about you, but I was definitely sleeping in Saturday morning! It’s really cool that they chose to use their time that way.
While one time projects like that are important, Peninsula Family Service has long-term volunteers that function unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They’re groups called auxiliaries, and they put on events and raise awareness for Peninsula Family Service. We have three active auxiliaries: Hillsborough, Red-Car-Bel, and Foothill. The groups work tirelessly for us throughout the year – Red-Car-Bel even manages and staffs (with volunteers, of course) Family Tree, a second hand shop in San Carlos. All proceeds from the store are in turn donated to Peninsula Family Service. I’ve only been there once, and I’m really only one to shop for what I need, but I ended up walking out with a beautiful tablecloth and oil and vinegar bottles. And my coworker bought these cute pants that were such a steal! Family Tree really has some great finds – I hope to go back soon.
There’s a Foothill Auxiliary event coming up, and I’m curious to attend and see what the energy is like in the room. It’s called Holidays on a High Note, and it seems like a really creative event. From what I understand, designers will have displays set up that show how you can decorate your home when entertaining guests. There will be tablescapes, floral artwork, and even a how-to demonstration by Keith Shaw, who’s won awards world-wide for his floral arrangement work. If you want to come, I included some information about it at the end of this post. Just make sure you buy tickets in advance – I hear they require reservations. Come say hello if you come by, I’d love to meet you!
A Floral Arrangement at Holidays on a High Note in 2009
I’m glad Holidays on a High Note is coming up. I don’t know about you, but I definitely could use some guidance about making my place more festive for the holidays. And I’m not just talking about hanging a wreath on the front door – I want something innovative and new. I have a feeling that Holidays on a High Note will be the perfect place to get the latest tips.
Beyond the designer displays and how-to presentation, there’s going to be a lunch and an auction. The best part – all proceeds from ticket sales, auctions and 20% of boutique sales will benefit Peninsula Family Service! Wow. It’s astonishing to me that such a big event is being put on solely by volunteers out of their own generosity. We have so much to be grateful for with this partnership.
I can’t wait to go to Holidays on a High Note and meet more Auxiliary members. I’d like to meet more general volunteers at Peninsula Family Service, for that matter. I can’t stop thinking about that 43% statistic that I mentioned at the beginning of the post – even though I don’t necessarily know yet what volunteers are doing or how many hours they are putting in, clearly, volunteers are a big part of what we do! It makes me think about my own volunteer work that I’ve done – I guess it made a bigger impact than I ever realized. I wonder where I should volunteer next?
Holidays on a High Note will be next Monday, October 17 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton. Tickets are $100 per person, and advanced reservations are required. For tickets or more information, contact Eileen Sullivan at 415-309-3412.
Heart to Heart 