National Volunteer Week of 2014 is upon us!
Here at Charity Dynamics, we love nonprofits and we know nonprofits would not reach their goals without the hard work of volunteers! This is why we have a week every summer where our employees volunteer at local nonprofits: Town Lake Animal Shelter, Austin Parks Foundation and Capital Area Food Bank of Texas. Given the opportunity, who wouldn’t take a half day out of the office to go out into our local community? We encourage our employees to take the time to volunteer to better both their community and themselves.
Personal Volunteer Stories from our Staff:
Donna Wilkins, CEO
I love to volunteer because it makes me feel more connected to the community and helps me learn about social issues and different groups within the community. It is also great for a family to volunteer together. There are lots of great volunteer opportunities all around our local community. Some of the services that I have taken part in recently are: I helped serve lunch to show appreciation for the teachers at my sons’ school. Teachers do so much and are not thanked nearly enough, it was great to show our appreciation. I was able to share an overview of Charity Dynamics to a high school Entrepreneurship class. Showing young adults the hard work and exciting nature of being as entrepreneur was educational for me and the students! My husband and I have worked the concession stands at our school’s sporting events; which is always an easy way to give back to your local community, plus you get to be around all the excitement of sporting events. I enjoyed working a night at The Trail of Lights here in Austin, helping people as they went through the trail. Finally, I serve on the board at the Paramount Theatre in the role of Secretary, I love being around this Austin landmark and it’s great to be able to help sustain its future.
Lindsey Rose, Marketing Coordinator
My life has literally been changed by my volunteer work. In college, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to Recife, Brazil. I spent two weeks in this Northeastern Brazilian town teaching basic business skills to an impoverished community. It was an eye-opening experience that taught me more than I may have learned the entire rest of my time in obtaining my degree in International Business. I loved my ‘alternative break’ so much that I went a second time and am still in touch with some of the people I met there. My experience volunteering in Brazil was wonderful and I was fortunate to find my love of volunteering when I was still very young. I still love volunteering, not only because of the warm and fuzzy feeling it gives me, or the fact that I can be part of something bigger than myself, but it’s also a great way to sharpen certain skills. An aspect of my job as the marketing coordinator that I love is event planning. I apply that love in my current job and volunteering. Every year, I volunteer with one of my favorite small nonprofits planning their annual fundraiser. This gives me an opportunity to grow my event planning skills while helping with a great cause.
Katie Evans, Office Manager
I started volunteering for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, now the Livestrong Foundation, when I wanted to make an impact in my local community and do my part to assist cancer survivors. I got my start with their Local Organizing Committee, which prepares for their big fundraising event: The Livestrong Challenge. I graciously accepted the opportunity to join the Ride for the Roses planning committee and have been co-managing the bike room operations every October since 2008. I enjoy volunteering because I know my contribution is helping make a difference and I love the opportunity to meet new people. It is also an enjoyable way to develop and grow skills that I might not have the opportunity to try out otherwise.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about some of our staff and our love of volunteering! Stay tuned for more during National Volunteer Week 2014!