Dear VAN Members,
As the days grow longer and the air warms with the promise of spring, it’s the perfect time to celebrate renewal. Not only in nature, but in the spirit of volunteerism that thrives in our organizations. Spring reminds us that growth and fresh ideas are always possible. Your leadership, combined with the support of VAN, helps to bring that energy to life and it shows up in the work we pour into our communities each and every day. So, maybe one small gesture towards spring we can all commit to is attending an upcoming VAN Professional Development session. To continue to learn, grow and stay energized alongside each other. Better yet, bring a friend or co-worker along. The first meeting is free!
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Make a plan to join VAN in March: March 19 @ Columbus Humane for Save the Crew Mobilizing Volunteers for Good.
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Make a plan to join VAN in April: April 16 @ Schiller Community Center for the History of “Friends of Schiller Park” Volunteers.
Looking ahead, National Volunteer Week (April 19-25) is just around the corner. It’s a special opportunity to recognize the incredible impact of volunteers in your organization and the staff who support them. NVW isn’t just about celebrating service; it’s about inspiring others to get involved, share their talents, and make a difference. If you need some inspiration, check out resources from Points of Lighthere. Or, connect with a fellow VAN Member by browsing the directoryhere(tip: leave the fields blank and click search, you must be logged in to view member’s contact info).
Thank you for your unwavering commitment, your creativity, and your passion for service. Here’s to a spring full of growth, energy, and inspiring moments as we honor the power of volunteers in central, Ohio!
With gratitude and optimism,
Shannon Maurer
President, Volunteer Administrators’ Network
Professional Development:
Last month we had an amazing session where we got to dive deeper into our desires and individual goals as professionals and how we can show up for ourselves more and more each day. Brandi Braun walked us through *the strategy of you* and gave us clear insight. So many of us left inspired and ready to make changes to our daily life with new habits.
Here at VAN we challenge you to complete your workbook and find an accountability partner from our group to continue your self improvement journey. According to a study, if you have someone who is holding you accountable, it can increase your chances of completing that goal up to 95%!
If you missed this session or attended and want to view the slides, you can find all of that information, as well as previous session informationhere.
March Professional Development:
WHEN:Thursday March 19th – 9:00am – 11:00am
LOCATION:Columbus Humane - 3015 Scioto Darby Executive CT Hilliard, OH 43026
DETAILS:#SaveTheCrew to speak at Columbus Humane
You’ll get the chance to hear from the all-star #SaveTheCrew Leadership Team:
• Morgan Hughes – Spokesperson
• Keith Naas – Lead Researcher
• Mark Vuchenich – Messaging Strategist & Creative Director
#SaveTheCrew was a giant task force consisting of passionate volunteers, leaders, and fans. This organization became one of the most powerful movements that the city has seen to protect one of their local sports teams. Join us to hear how it was organized and formulated and how we can be inspired to do similar work for our agencies.
Come with any questions you might have about quickly starting a group movement, mobilizing volunteers, and how they helped do what had never been done before.
In addition to hearing from the #SaveTheCrew leadership team, we will also have a chance to interact with the animals after the presentation and take a tour of the Humane Society. This will be a Session that you don’t want to miss.
*For those who might experience allergies from pet dander or fur, our meeting room will be away from the animals and the interaction of animals at the end will be optional*
Walking around in your VANS:
*A section dedicated to news and announcements that are happening in the volunteer world and your local area.*
Columbus Volunteer Festival:
Saturday, May 16, 2026 • 11am-3pm • Land-Grant’s Gravity Experience Park
Celebrate community, connection, and creativity at the Columbus Volunteer Festival, a lively open-air event that highlights dozens of local nonprofits and community partners.
Enjoy an inspiring day filled with live music, food trucks, interactive on-site volunteer activities, and pop-up booths featuring Central Ohio nonprofits, arts organizations, community resources, and more.
Free and open to all —join us for a day of purpose and participation!
Earth Month Volunteering:Columbus hosts one of the biggest earth day volunteer events in the country. Give back to mother nature by volunteering to help out in the month of April.
In addition, if you have any outdoor work that needs completed for your organization, you can create a posting to gather volunteers to help in the month of April!
To learn more and to enroll,click here.
Job Postings:
Our website is full of joblistings in central Ohio! If you're a VAN Central Ohio memberlooking for a position working with volunteers, you canclickhereto access the page.Postings are updated throughout the month, so log in and check back often!
Newsletter Dessert:
Q: Why was the calendar so busy before April?
A: Because there was so March to do.
New Year, Fresh Membership Renewal! Check to see if your membership is up-to-date by logging in online at vancentralohio.org!
Love being a part of VAN? We do too! Share our info with a colleague or friend who might benefit from our PD Sessions, Discussions, Networking, Conference Access, and more. The first session is always free!