| A recovering non-volunteer volunteers Posted: 13 Jan 2011 12:41 PM PST The barn where Harv and Riley live is a hotbed of volunteer activity -- several officials from the local dressage GMO board there, and a bunch of other folks there volunteer a lot. Last year I saw firsthand how much these folks do to make events and shows happen, plus they do everything that the average competitor does. That's one reason I resolved to volunteer more this year. So... This year for my local dressage association, I'm putting in some time... - Doing some publications work. I'm nearly done with this year's banquet program, and I have started assisting with editing of the newsletter.
- Attending monthly meetings.
- Volunteering at shows -- I'm on the books to be show secretary for my first time ever!
So Why Volunteer? Take it from a recovering non-volunteer, the first step is to admit you have a problem. The second step is knowing the benefits of volunteering... - Volunteering is knowledge. Interact with people who know the sport from all perspectives -- judges, technical delegates, other volunteers.
- Volunteering is social. You'll be amazed at how many people you meet and how friendly they are.
- Volunteering is skill-building. Scoring sounds boring but it isn't! You learn how scores are calculated, you get a better understanding of how co-efficients affect the bottom line score, you see how one bad score doesn't wreck an otherwise good test, and you see how ties are handled -- other stuff too.
- Volunteering is giving back. When you show, don't you feel gratitude for the folks that go to all the trouble to make it happen? What a great opportunity to give back.
Photo: National Capital Dressage volunteers  |
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