In The Spirit Of Volunteerism

Note: This month's article has very little to do with running, but a lot to do with doing your part for local non-profit & volunteer based organizations. I think the basic ideas can be applied to a book club, scout troop or tykes hockey organization as it can to our modest 200 person running club.

Here it is, yet another year gone by, yet another Annual General Meeting (AGM) to attend. Who will be standing again, who will be stepping down and who will be stepping up? It's the same questions that I've heard every year. And every year some one has stepped up to take over, or didn't step down to keep a BRC board position filled.

I've heard that in the club's deep dark past, that there was more than one person running for posts. I've also heard that there was some serious lobbying going on, feelings were ruffled and well, it was "game on" for spots on the board. People were passionate about how the club was being run and fought for a chance to make a difference in the direction of the club.

It's hard to believe that now. The most intensity at the AGM that I've seen is around the refreshment table prior to the actual meeting. Or maybe it's when a current board member is trying to strong-arm another club member into taking over their spot. It's been said that hardest job on the club executive is finding someone to replace you when you want to step down.

It's a shame, really.

Since I've been a member, I've noticed that there seems to be two groups of people that fill the board. The first noble few are the same group of long time members that always are contributing whether it's a race, club executives or for social events. Then there's the second group, mostly new members of less than two years. If you attend any club event, you'll see the same faces. What happened to the rest of the club members?

Excuses? You bet. There's a metric tonne of reasons not to volunteer. Let's count them off:

  1. Lack of time
  2. Lack of experience
  3. Fear of failure
  4. Fear of not doing as good a job as the incumbent.

Excuses? Yup, that's exactly what they are. Good reasons not to jump in? Not a single one of them. Here's my take on what the past and current executive members had to say.

Time

Except for the two to three hours for the once per month executive meeting, there's not a lot of time commitment for most of the positions. Probably the job with the most responsibility is the President. Jackie Terry, John Gonzales and Joe Hewitt agreed that they committed, on average, 3-10 hours a month to their duties. All agreed that the job's biggest rush was interacting with the club members and helping to oversee the growth and direction of the club.

All the other people I talked to told me that their commitment outside of the executive meetings was covered off in 3-6 hours a month. Seems like that's a heavy time commitment to have to bear.

Experience

No one has all the tools and experience to bring to the job. As you grow into the job, the job grows into you. You take this type of volunteer gig for the experience and to stretch yourself. It's a great way to build the kind of experience that can help you grow in other aspects of your life. Besides, where can you get this kind of support, everyone in the club wants to see you succeed? When you succeed, the club succeeds and everyone wants that. Speaking of which…

Failure

The only way you'll fail is if you don't try. The support of club members, the past and present executive just about guarantees the success of your term in office. Yes, you will be challenged when you first start, but that's the way it is in all new ventures. Soon you'll be comfortable and people will be wondering why you ever thought that you weren't meant for the job.

Heck, just look at the BRC's infamous newsletter editor. I'd never done any writing much less put together one-page flier before taking on this job. For a lot of people I don't think it's fear of failure but of fear of success.

Living Up To The Past

The thing is, you can't ever do the same job as the last person. You'll have weaknesses that others don't have, but you'll also have strengths and other ways of looking at things that they don't. You'll bring your unique way of facing problems and finding solutions. Your input will help shape where the club will be tomorrow and next year. By the end of the first year, you'll be the person that everyone worries about being as good as. You probably can't do a better job than they did, you can only do it differently.

Want even more reasons for taking on the mantle of the club executive? Here are the comments I've received.

  • When somebody puts their hand up we all get behind to support them.
  • By volunteering you're just helping out a bunch of friends to keep running.
  • Decisions by consensus… Usually over coffee at Williams.
  • The power, the car, the fame… (Said with tongue stuck firmly in cheek)
  • Amazed at the support of club members in general and the support of the race directors during races.
  • It was as rewarding as I hoped it would be.
  • Was it difficult? No!

The Burlington Runners Club is a unique organization. There's very little politics or ceremony involved in the week-to-week affairs of the club. We don't hold "official" club meetings like most other clubs, the BRC is the epitome of informal consensus. Most club business gets handled either on the Saturday morning club run or at coffee after the run.

And when jobs need doing, all you generally have to do is ask and the membership will be there. All you have to do is start them up and point them in the right direction, just ask any of the club's race directors.

If you have stood for a position in the past but haven't contributed in the last few years, or if you want to just do your bit to give back to the club what you have gotten out of it, it is time to step up again. Commitment? For as little as a few hours a month, you can make a difference and leave your mark on the Burlington Runners Club.

Feeling guilty yet?  Feeling challenged? Feeling inspired?

Try it, you just might like it.

By Mark G. Collis

Revised: February 13, 2005.