Volunteer position

I think I may have mentioned that it is commonly said here at Venture Out (VO) -- the resort where we are staying -- that VO not only stands for "Venture Out" but also for "Volunteer Often", as the community works best when everyone pitches in where they can.

So, at the beginning of the season, I filled out a volunteer application form, and turned it in at the Activities Office. The office manager there looked at it and said, "Would you like to volunteer in the Activities Office? We have an opening for Tuesday morning."

I knew that I had a conflict on Tuesday mornings (a practice session for line dancing), but that I could attend the practice on another day -- so I agreed to volunteer on Tuesday mornings at least through the end of the year. I have been enjoying the position -- I have learned a lot about how the social club side of the resort runs, and come to understand some of the behind-the-scenes things that have to be done to make things run smoothly. I've been able to help out with keeping copies made of various information sheets that residents can come in and pick up, and making corrections when errors are found on already-made copies (we hand-write corrections so we don't waste paper copies that already exist). The activities office manager knows that I like to do "special projects" so I think she saves them for me to do on the mornings that I work. I have been amazed that the copier machine has not broken down with me using it as it always seemed that the copiers at IBM knew when I had a deadline and all copiers would be broken at the same time! Having typed this in, I'm concerned about what will happen on my next volunteer shift!

The outside of the office where I volunteer -- I told Carl that it looks like the exterior of a low-budget motel. It is part of the large central complex in the resort -- there are some offices and a couple of meeting rooms in this area of the building. The ballroom and bistro are on the other side and in the center of the complex.

Carl stopped by while I was working one day and got a picture of me contacting one of the residents to let them know that something was waiting for them to pick up at the Activities Office. The various papers in front of me on the counter were one of the projects that I was working on that day -- residents bring their "Venture Outlines" - the activities magazine telling about all the things to do for a month - back to the Activities Office for recycling - this month, there happens to be a page about what items can be recycled in the Outlines that we are tearing out so we can give it out to folks when they ask, "What is being recycled this year?!?!?"

My "regular" job at the Activities office is checking out and in DVDs, and making copies... but that doesn't keep me very busy, so I enjoy the "extra projects" that I am able to do!

It has been funny this fall as it seems that there are a LOT of things that happen on Tuesday mornings! I have swapped days with a friend who has Thursday mornings a couple of times (so we could attend classes at the Glass Arts studio). The bocce ball fall league play was on Tuesday mornings - and I didn't find out until I had already volunteered so we weren't able to participate in that. Carl said that they had no one else volunteering on Tuesday mornings because everyone else knows that there are too many conflicts on that day!

Regardless, I really enjoy the work at the Activities office, so I told the office manager that I would continue on Tuesday mornings into the spring if they needed me, and she happily said that they would be glad for me to continue. This past week, I had swapped to Thursday (because of a Tuesday conflict), and the other volunteer person did not come in, so the office manager taught me how to do the "other" side of the desk -- cashier. It is somewhat busier, and involves taking money and giving change. I learned how to do cash, check, and credit transactions -- one of the residents paid for his credit transaction with his watch! I need to figure out how to get my watch to do that!!!

It is nice to be able to give-back to the community!