|
Spring Cleaning & Day of Service
 |
|
Spring is cleanup time for all of us. There are few labor intensive projects that give us more satisfaction that participating in a major cleanup. It's visually rewarding and physically satisfying to know we can still make those muscles move.
In case you have downsized your living arrangements and have no yard to attend to yourself, you still don't have to miss out on the 2004 spring cleanup. We're here to help you!
April 17 has been designated as Boeing's Community Day of Service. This is the day that employees will band together and collect their armory of shovels, hoes, wheelbarrows and paintbrushes. They will descend upon a number of local school yards neglected by cutbacks in funding and put their tools to work.
At our March meeting of the Central Leadership Council, we thought we'd love to help out. But we knew we were too late to get our act together and field chapter volunteers for an April 17 date Then, we asked, what's so special about April 17? As retirees, we can do projects anytime regardless of what the calendar dictates.
In my absence, vice chair Bob Lambert asked chapter chairs to go home and get committees together and decide which school in their area they would like to give some extra attention. There will be no set date for these work parties and we'll be hearing their reports at our next meeting.
For those who would like to participate in the April 17 event, you can get the list of projects selected by the United Way. Boeing's Community Services organization has identified 150 community projects for the April 17 observance and you can volunteer through them by looking at the United Way website at
Click Here and the link will take you to the UWKC site and use the password 0102. You will see a listing of projects still open.
(Note: If your browser can't use the link above, cut and paste the following link information as a single line in your browser 's address window:
http://www.volunteersolutions.org/uwkc/volunteer/project
/?project_id=892820&return_url=/uwkc/volunteer/news/one.tcl?item_id=166801)
|
|
* * * * *
|
|
Contemplating a Recruitment Video – We have been approached by Catholic Community Services about the possibility of combining efforts to develop a short video designed to encourage people to volunteer. It is a big project to undertake without a well thought-out marketing plan. As a first step, we talked a bit at our board meeting about recruitment issues. The first question we need to answer is: "Why would you want to join the Bluebills?"
(It would be great to get your answers to this question. What would you tell someone who was thinking about whether to join us? What do you think would be a good way to get that message in a video? Please send your e-mails to me at
mervshetler@comcast.net)
Our newest board member, Marion Lockleer, had some insight. He says we are living in a new society, with more of us having free time and the good health to do volunteer work. The U.S. is far ahead of other countries in organized volunteering. In Russia not too many years ago, one of our board members said the people couldn't even understand the concept of volunteering.
And, if people are already volunteering, what would be the point of doing similar things through Bluebills…? The answers may be that 1) you get to continue to enjoy the association with the Boeing family and other retirees with common experiences and 2) you have access to many more volunteer opportunities that may be a better fit for your preferences. As an aside, it also gives the company an understanding of the big role that Bluebills play in its annual $50 million community services budget. Counting gifts, materials and our volunteer hours established at a worth of $16 per hour, I figure Bluebills' contribution is about 10 percent of that budget. I would say that is a good effort for this organization.
These issues will need to be sorted out as we proceed. As always, your comments are welcomed. You are also invited to attend our board meetings, held the second Tuesday of each month, 10 - 11:30 a.m., at South Park's 15-35 Bldg.
|
|
* * * * *
|
| Elsewhere in this site you can see:
Mighty Movers. A group from our Sno-King chapter has been helping people move for years. It's time to tell their unsung story.
Create Your Own Reality Show. Bob Lee's piece about getting involved in High School senior projects ("Culminating Exhibitions") as a panelist. He talks about the SnoKing schools, but this will be a statewide mandate by 2008.
Chapter meetings and information programs for the members.
Volunteer opportunities.
Bluebill Voyagers
including our newst feature, Nancy Wright's moving account and pictures of her visit to China in October 2003.
Reference information sites for seniors.
We are always ready to publicize Bluebills. Please, if you come away from a volunteer assignment that leaves you with an unusually warm fuzzy feeling, think about sharing that experience with all of us. It's worth its weight in gold, recruitment-wise. It will also help us get recognition from Boeing executive offices. Alert your chapter chair, or email Nancy Wright (nancylwright@earthlink.net) or Mike Yanega (myanega@bowfinprintworks.com). And don't forget good pictures.
And finally, let me ask you to critique our efforts. Tell us what you want, what interests you and how you use the information we provide or could provide. The unique age of electronic communication offers us the ability to make rapid updates and changes
|
|
