We live in a community that celebrates volunteerism and for this I am grateful because the unpaid labor of volunteers is the underpinning of so much of what our community has to offer.
In all of this celebration, however, I think there is a type of volunteer whose time and efforts often go unlauded and I would like to shine a spotlight on these folks and say thanks.
Who are these volunteers? They are the members of the boards of directors that govern so many of our area organizations. I’ve been thinking about this recently because I’ve seen many board members in action in the past week and I’ve been impressed by the selfless nature of the work.
I know of a board that gave up an entire Saturday for a long-range planning session; I know board members that have been tirelessly fundraising to grow a local school, I’ve seen board members of a local church jump into governance action right at the tail end of a service.
I hope that by shining a light on these folks I might inspire more (and younger) people to consider this kind of volunteer service. Without it, much of what we take for granted in our community may not continue to thrive.
Jessica Danyow
Brandon