VANtage: June 2024
Alaina Reimer | Published on 6/14/2024
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:
Dear VAN Members,
Happy Pride Month! I don’t think you want me specifically writing about Pride. But maybe you’ll allow me to write about pride. There’s something I tell all my volunteer groups at the end of the day and my regular volunteers at every Volunteer Appreciation: “You got a lot done. You should be proud of the work you did.”
I’d like to extend that sentiment to two of our Board Members. Our Past President Christa and our Membership Chair Betty are stepping away from the VAN Board (for very happy reasons!). They have been with the Board for many years, and we will miss them.
I wrote years ago about “standing on the shoulders of giants,” and that we have become those giants now. I hope you feel that sometimes. And I hope you know that you won’t feel like a giant all the time. And I hope that you know that is okay.
All that to say: the VAN Board can use some new members. Anyone can bring something new to the Board. Believe me; if I can do it, you can do it! I was hesitant to join at first, but I am proud to say that I did now. If you are a sometimes-giant, or you can feel a growth spurt coming on, please reach out to us! The open positions are at the bottom of this email.
In any case, join us for the next Professional Development session! Maybe this one will elevate you that one last step to be ready for leadership!
Galen Roth, CVA
Volunteers Manager at the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio
VAN President
JUNE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
Topic: Elevating the Profession - Is it Time for a Reset?
Date: Thursday, June 20, 2024
Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Columbus Metro Library - 96 S. Grant Street Meeting Room 1A
Details: Learn ways to meaningfully use LinkedIn and online tools to boost volunteer engagement, your organization, and your personal brand with Anita Preer! Coach P is a Branding Consultant for Preer Consulting LLC and also serves as the Professional Development Manager at Per Scholas.
Bring a friend to join you! The first meeting is always free!
SAVE THE DATE for VAN's July Professional Development session on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 9 am.
JOB POSTINGS:
Our website is full of job listings in central Ohio! If you're a VAN Central Ohio member looking for a position working with volunteers, you can click here to access the page. There are many local openings including positions at Canine Companions, BESA, Ronald McDonald House, and MORE! Postings are updated throughout the month, so log in and check back often!
VAN BOARD OPPORTUNITIES:
Are you passionate about volunteer administration? Are you looking to give back in a big way while learning and growing professionally? Then joining the VAN Board may be the right fit for you! We are currently seeking value-added members to join our team in the following openings: Membership Co-Chair and Professional Development Co-Chair. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to take that next step in leadership and professional growth. If interested, please email groth@furniturebankcoh.org with a copy of your resume.
OTHER UPDATES & HAPPENINGS:
- VAN Membership Pricing Structure: you asked, we answered! The VAN board is excited to announce that we have a new annual membership pricing structure available. New members can head here to pay their annual membership fee!
- Individual Membership (unchanged): $75/person
- AmeriCorps (NEW): $50/person
- Organizational (NEW): $175/organization
- Columbus Academy Annual Service Day: Friday, Aug. 30 from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm - Does your organization need a group of approximately 10 teen volunteers (who come along with 1-2 adult chaperones) to help with various service projects? Reach out to the Columbus Academy's Service Board Advisor, Christy Bening at beningc@columbusacademy.org for more info.
- Looking to Increase Senior Volunteer Engagement in your Organization? Check out THIS article for some great tips.
- Need to Train Your Staff on How to Work with Volunteers? Check out this upcoming webinar offered through Better Impact on Equipping Staff for Success: Training Colleagues to Engage Volunteers scheduled for June 19.
We hope to see you at an upcoming VAN PD Session soon!