Volunteers needed

Check your calendar!! Volunteers needed for grade school reading during Earth Week, April 21-22

About 100 area teachers have requested a volunteer to read and lead a discussion on The Lorax or Miss Rumphius for area grade school children during Earth Week on April 21 and 22. We supply the book, you supply your talents! If you can help, please contact Greater Green Bay Earth Week Coalition Chair Jodi Arndt, jla@lcojlaw as soon as possible.

National Volunteer Week – Beautification committee seeks volunteers for planting, trail clean-up

In keeping with the spirit of National Volunteer Week, the Beautification Committee of De Pere is looking to expand its ranks.

“There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to keep our community looking festive and tidy,” explains Rose Smits, chair of the Beautification Committee, which is a program of the De Pere Area Chamber Foundation. “We receive invaluable assistance from members of the De Pere Woman’s Club, but we can always use additional help tending to flower beds and other plantings, and also with the weekly clean-up along the Fox River Trail in the downtown area.”

The committee is responsible for planting and maintaining annual and perennial flowers in beds at eight different sites in the city. Last year, more than 2,300 plants – including globe artichokes and kale grown by students at West De Pere High School – were planted. This year, spring bulbs are scheduled to be planted in the large roundabout at the bridge approach. Flowers are usually planted the last week in May, and volunteers weed the beds weekly.

Committee volunteers also walk the Fox River Trail weekly between Cook Street and the Kress Library to pick up litter. “This is a very relaxing and enjoyable volunteer experience,” Smits notes. “After the major trail clean-up in the spring, it is easy for one or two volunteers to grab a coffee or soft drink at one end of the trail and walk to the other end with a garbage bag. The trail is a tremendous asset to our downtown, and our committee is happy to work with other local groups to keep it clean and attractive.”

Persons interested in volunteering for the Beautification Committee should contact Dr. Beth Nasal, the chamber’s volunteer coordinator, at 336-9595, or e-mail her at volunteers@deperechamber.org

Volunteers

On Saturday, I posted a blog article from the Michigan Main Street about volunteering and why to do so.

However, since it was Saturday and my mind was “off-work” I didn’t think about OUR volunteer needs!

Today, I am “on-work” (what, off’s opposite is on – yes) and so am talking about our volunteer needs.  The Chamber is a member-owned, member-managed, volunteer-driven organization that literally lives on the work-blood of our volunteers.

There are many volunteer opportunities with the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce and its programs, Main Street De Pere, Beautification and SEEDs for De Pere.

Join the committee that matches your passion – have fun while making a difference. Become an active member of one of the many committees that play a pivotal role in maintaining and improving the quality of life in the De Pere area.

For more information on volunteer opportunities, please contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteers@deperechamber.org to create the best fit and the most rewarding experience for you.

Check us out often for new committees and volunteer opportunities or better yet, complete our volunteer application and let us match you!  By the way, if you are already one of our volunteers, thank you!  And if you haven’t completed the volunteer application/profile, could you please do so and send to Beth Nasal, Volunteer Coordinator at volunteers@deperechamber.org for our database?

Come volunteer – you’ll have a great time AND feel good too!  And to inspire you:

Saturday and no work!

Except, that, well … I am working – just a bit because I got notification THAT OUR NEW WEBSITE HOME PAGE IS UP!! Just click over <<<<——– and you’ll get to see it.

Why, yes.  I am excited.  Why do you ask?

If you’ve ever created or updated a website, you know exactly what I’m feeling.

In other news though, since we are “not-working” it gives us time to think about volunteering!  From the Michigan Main Street Center comes a great blog post on volunteering that I like so much, I’m going to copy here!

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any organization and ours is absolutely no exception.   When you are over there <<<—— checking out that cool new home page (hint hint), click on “volunteer” to get more info.  (or you can click HERE)

Before I leave to read the rest of this post, I HAVE to say thank you and we LOVE it to Chris Schmitz at Perception LLC for the beautiful job on the home page.  And, even more thanks for the patience in dealing with me!

By Laura Krizov, Manager
Michigan Main Street Center
Michigan State Housing Development Authority

We all understand that in order for Main Street to work in communities you have to have volunteers. Volunteers are the backbone of any Main Street community. Building a community-based revitalization program means engaging people through outreach and volunteer opportunities. It seems no matter how much we try to advise communities that Main Street is hard work and takes a lot of volunteers, communities don’t understand until they commit to starting their own local program. When talking about the Main Street program we tell communities that Main Street is not a quick fit to downtown revitalization. It is going to take time, energy and commitment for Main Street to work. You will need volunteers.

Main Street is so successful because it requires people living in your community to work together which then strengthens community connections. Unlike many organizations, the volunteers who serve on Main Street boards and committees must take a hands-on role in running the program and implementing its activities. It is important to get people involved that have an interest and ideas on how to revitalize the downtown. Again, it is going to be those people that want to see something to happen in their downtown doing the work.

When someone gives of their time, they are actually improving the life of their own community. The more people give of their time, the healthier and more vibrant your community. When people in the community are involved in civic activities and earn the trust and cooperation of others, great ideas come to life.

Here are several reasons to volunteer in your community:

• Reduce stress
  
• Get to know the community
  
• Have a skill that is needed
  
• Satisfaction from accomplishment
  
• Have an impact
  
• Learn Something new
  
• Meet new people
  
• Because you were asked
  
• Have fun!

We all have reasons that we volunteer. When you’re considering volunteer for those certain opportunities in your community, remember to focus your efforts on those projects that motivate you. And most importantly make sure that you have fun in what you are volunteering for.

New volunteer Volunteer Coordinator

Nope, that isn’t an accidentally doubled word!  We have a new volunteer Volunteer Coordinator.

Dr. Beth Nasal, owner and veterinarian of Happy Tails Veterinary Clinic in De Pere, has been named Volunteer Coordinator by the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce.  Dr. Nasal, also a board member of the De Pere Area Chamber, will coordinate the efforts of the many volunteers needed for Chamber committees, programs and events.  The Coordinator position, a volunteer position in itself, will serve as a contact point for people wanting to volunteer. In addition , Dr. Nasal will oversee the development of a volunteer database and survey process for matching needs with talents.

For more information on volunteer opportunities with the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce, contact Dr. Beth Nasal at volunteers@deperechamber.org, or by contacting the Chamber office at 338-0000. The Chamber office is located inside the Chase Bank Building at 441 Main Avenue, De Pere.

For more information about Happy Tails Veterinary Clinic, visit www.happytailsclinic.com.