Throughout my life I've done a lot of volunteer work. More informally than not. Not to be confused with work in which there was an intent or promise to be paid -eventually. And for the most part I did it without any expectation of recognition and reward. I didn't want to be called out. So I wasn't counting the days or hours or keeping track of it. If I start feeling uncomfortable or if I felt that people were depending on me as if I were a paid employee and then not paying, I withdrew.
At one place I volunteered they never failed to say Thank You each and every time I got ready to leave. I was called Volunteer of the Year after I kept cool and saved someone's life. But I moved on. And when I needed a reference they were nowhere to be found. At another place I volunteered they were full of compliments - "The longest running and best class we've ever offered" - but never actually said Thank You. When I needed a reference they were nowhere to be found either.
Recently I got snagged into some volunteer work I wasn't planning on. I was invited to go to a party by a person who had me meet her at a certain address. When I got there, she wasn't waiting to go, she was working with other people on a fund raiser, and rather than sit and watch, I pitched in to organize for a rummage sale. Hours went by. I thought we were supposed to start heading to the party around noon. We got there in time for dinner. It was relaxing and enjoyable but I could have used those hours I was pitching in to take care of some of my own business. A few days later I got a message that they needed more help. I said I would come by on my way home but only for an hour and a half. At the hour and a half point, well, I got snagged into another hour.
So the other night I showed up at another place - let's call it my REAL VOLUNTEER GIG - for a fund raiser for a cause I'm aligned with. I was behind the scenes as I like to be. There had been some chaos earlier when no fewer than 6 people - trying to be helpful - showed up over where I was supposed to be and did the equivalent of rewriting my book or painting over my canvas. I was upset and spoke up to one of the organizers.
I was at my post as someone began to acknowledge volunteers who put so much more time and energy into it than me. All these people were in my opinion supremely deserving. When I heard someone saying, "And now for Christine... is Christine still here? I stretched my neck to see who this person Christine is. Then, well... it was me. My feet moved me forward but I could feel the blood heading for my face. I was given a certificate, it was sweet, but I was so discombobulated that I had to be spun around to face a camera. Apparently my embarrassment was so apparent, I got an apology the next day.
I'm not going to hang my certificate on the wall, but I did make copies to include in a resume packet. The certificate is actually a great idea. As people come and go, when no one is alive or locatable for that reference, I have it. And yes, I will continue to do my REAL VOLUNTEER GIG - as long as I can.
C 2018 Christine Trzyna All Rights Reserved
