Why Volunteer?

If you are a member of the PMI Central Virginia Chapter and don’t volunteer, I encourage you to ask a Chapter volunteer why they volunteer. Ask the person close to you who raises their hand to acknowledge their participation as a volunteer at the next chapter meeting you attend. As an active volunteer, we all have a story about why we remain volunteers. Don’t you ever wonder why you keep seeing the same volunteers over and over again?

I agree with Sharon Robbins, our Vice-President of Volunteerism, when she speaks about the experience of volunteering for our chapter as fun. It is fun. It also allowed me to feel an increase in connectedness and engagement with the organization. What I found when I began to volunteer was that I had clearly moved, somewhat tentatively at first, from the role of a spectator to being an owner or stakeholder in the chapter.

The decisions and activities of the chapter began to take on a three-dimensional quality not present from the position of a relatively passive participant. The quality of my relationship to the chapter changed. I thought I was participating as one who comes to meetings, listens to speakers and enjoys the professional fellowship and food. I didn’t realize I had just been showing up. I hadn’t realized I could significantly increase the connectedness and quality of my experience in the chapter by beginning to volunteer.

As I learn my volunteer role, I get feedback and support from other committee members and officers. It didn’t take a long time for me to realize that many of my chapter volunteers have strong opinions and don’t mind sharing them. They, too, actively care about the quality of the programs and activities of the chapter. Lacking perfection, shared responsibility can be a fertile ground for humor…perhaps Sharon is right.

I can guarantee you that, if you have not volunteered with a chapter committee and step up to do so, your experience with the chapter will be enriched. The chapter will welcome your energies, talent, and imagination. It need not take more than a few minutes a month and, like most of us, it could begin with a small commitment. I know the chapter will be stronger by your volunteering and if you do not have more fun or are not satisfied with your new role as a volunteer, I think the chapter would have no problem completely refunding your role to that of mere participant and spectator. The chapter would never turn down your dinner fees and dues.

I have gained more than a few PDUs. I didn’t know what I was missing until I volunteered.