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I am not of retirement age, but I have been a stay at home mom for over fifteen years now. I've been wanting to do some volunteering now that my kids are both out if elementary school and they don't have parents come and help in the classes anymore.
My first attempt was volunteering at the food bank. I did a walk through, checked everything out, and said that I'd like to volunteer. They took my name and number and told me to call the woman in charge of the volunteers. I called her up and got her voice mail. I left a message. No call back. I waited a few days and tried again. No call back. So I went back down to the food bank which was currently open. They made me wait outside behind a line of other people trying to get in for free food. I finally left.
Weeks later I got a call back from the lady, but with it not being a number I recognized I let it go to voicemail. By the time I heard the message I called back, but the woman didn't answer, and she never called me back again. Good riddance!
So then last year my daughter who was a freshman in high school joined FFA. She absolutely loved it. Within a few months I got a call saying that they were thinking of cutting the FFA program, but if we could form an FFA Alumni organization that we could help support the FFA students and advisor and keep the FFA alive. Nothing like some guilt to bring parents in.
So I went to their meeting where there was a decent amount of people, maybe fifteen to twenty. The woman I talked to on the phone told us everything we needed to do to become a real nonprofit organization. The next meeting they were going to elect officers and then send in the paperwork. I did NOT want to be an officer, so I skipped that meeting but showed up for the next meeting, and every meeting since. It's been several months now.
Here's what happened. The amount of people from the first meeting dwindled down to a small handful by the fourth meeting. People who were elected officers decided that it was just in name only and never showed up to do their job. When I questioned about finances since our treasurer was MIA, I got immediately asked to be co-treasurer which I agreed to, only because I needed to know where the money was coming and going. The real treasurer never showed up again and I became responsible for everything to do with the money and banking. However I did enjoy that, or else I wouldn't have accepted at all.
Within months the President and Vice President got into huge verbal blowouts both in person and through text, along with the Secretary. The President was caught in multiple lies regarding information she had given the alumni that was untrue. The situation went from bad to worse.
Meanwhile we were working our butts off fundraising like crazy to help pay for the students to go to Nationals in Indianapolis. It felt like every month there was some new fundraiser to work, not to mention selling tickets for. We worked eight long days at the local fair making Pork Loin meals and selling raffle tickets. Valentine's sweetheart dinner and silent auction. Bake sales. Farmers market. Etc. The majority of the Alumni didn't show up to help, or they would flit in and out, but only myself and the Vice President and Secretary were there consistently and for the entire time. I was burned out and the fighting between members just got worse.
At our last meeting the FFA advisor shut us down. He said that we can try again in a year if we so desire, but we need a break. We've made almost 10k in nine months for the FFA students and they do get to go to Nationals this year, so at least there's that.
I have no intention of joining up again. I've decided volunteering is not for me. I've got enough volunteer experience to put on a resume. At least if I'm going to have this much work and deal with all of this nonsense, I should get paid for it .
At our last meeting the FFA advisor shut us down. He said that we can try again in a year if we so desire, but we need a break. We've made almost 10k in nine months for the FFA students and they do get to go to Nationals this year, so at least there's that.
I have no intention of joining up again. I've decided volunteering is not for me. I've got enough volunteer experience to put on a resume. At least if I'm going to have this much work and deal with all of this nonsense, I should get paid for it .
Y'all did great with the fundraisers
I think that is what wears out a lot of people. Those cooking things - we are not professional cooks and it takes a while to get in a groove.
That is why i think if more people just donated cash - would be easier.
I think that is what wears out a lot of people. Those cooking things - we are not professional cooks and it takes a while to get in a groove.
That is why i think if more people just donated cash - would be easier.
I repped her for that--what a lot of work! I already posted about how I loved tutoring ESL but I just remembered, I did more volunteer work during my younger years than in my retirement. One time I taught crafts in a nursing home. One time I volunteered in a school library and ended up getting hired to be the school librarian--never dreamed they'd want a librarian since they'd gone without one for 12 years
One pleasant volunteer job was reading to a lady who was legally blind. It was interesting because this was "some lady!" I mean she was very well educated and had held a most interesting job at one of the colleges. She was lively and fun, had a lifetime of adventures, and knew people from all around the world. I would read her mail to her, her alumni newsletter, some other stuff. Never a dull moment with her!
Here’s the thing about me now, versus when I was younger, I no longer care about proving how competent and organized I am. I don’t need to organize this, or coordinate that in order to get my self esteem. Let the younger people do it.
If I would enjoy the activity, I do it. If I do t want to, I don’t.
Here’s the thing about me now, versus when I was younger, I no longer care about proving how competent and organized I am. I don’t need to organize this, or coordinate that in order to get my self esteem. Let the younger people do it.
If I would enjoy the activity, I do it. If I do t want to, I don’t.
i feel that in our organizations - especially the church - the older folks have a hard time letting go
Volunteer organizations are skilled in getting you to punch a clock for free while their ceo pulls a 6 figure salary
More than the CEOs, they often have a very large admin staff and use the majority of the money coming in to support "awareness" which basically means the salaries of them to get more contributions and keep the cycle rolling.
I'm happy not being a joiner and just lone-wolfing it to take care of problems around my neighborhood on my terms and schedule.
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