United Way connects people to meaningful
Published 2:50 pm Saturday, June 27, 2009
It’s been a busy spring at United Way of Freeborn County!
We had the pleasure of working with the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project coordinators on Purpose Workshops during the month of June. It was an amazing experience to see so many people come together to discover their gifts and how they can contribute back to the good of the whole.
The Purpose Workshops were a way for people to recognize their strengths and the strengths of those around them. People were invited to choose the characteristics that best matched their interests, such as: seeing the big picture, helping overcome obstacles, analyzing information and organizing things.
At the end of the event, local agencies spoke about the work they do in the community and the volunteer opportunities they have available. I hope you were able to attend one of the workshops and take advantage of what you discovered by finding volunteer work that is meaningful to you.
If you happened to miss the workshops, take some time to check out our web site: www.unitedwayfc.org. If you look under the “Volunteer” tab, you will find access to “Volunteer Solutions.” It is a volunteer matching Web site where people may seek out local volunteer opportunities.
The site includes a search engine that helps you find exactly what experience you’re looking for, whether it is helping tend a garden or building a home, helping a child with their reading skills or helping an adult learn English as a second language.
It’s great to see so much positive energy coming in to our area and to see the new roles people are stepping up to fill as we begin to develop a healthier, more connected community with a real sense of purpose.
I am excited to see what new roles a particular group of people will take on this next year. The Leadership Program just finished its second year June 16. I was one of the graduates, and what a phenomenal experience!
We began the year focusing on our strengths and continued to enjoy the various perspectives of our classmates throughout the 10 month experience. We had the rare opportunity to visit every corner of the community and learn from our local leaders. I know every person who is involved with the Leadership Program comes out of the experience with a new perspective and appreciation.
As a final note, I can tell you that it’s been a phenomenal experience working with our 2009 campaign chairman, Steve Merfeld. The campaign hasn’t started yet, but Steve Merfeld is raring to go! He has so many great ideas and enthusiasm for his role. I now dub Steve “Super Volunteer.”
He’s already had more high-profile volunteer roles such as his work coordinating a triathlon this year. But it seems every time I meet with Steve he already has his weekend planned out, helping others: volunteering to roof a home to raise funds for a local organization or retiling the bathroom floor of a woman who goes to his church, and always helping his friends with their projects.
If you know him already, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, I am happy for the chance when you get to meet Steve. He is a remarkable man.
United Way volunteers and agencies are excited to be in the Third of July Parade again this year — what a perfect theme for our community: “Heart of America.” People around the world who are getting a glimpse of what our community is like must be thinking how great it is to live here — and the parade is a chance when we all come together to celebrate what our country has accomplished and what we are capable of. Working together, we can do great things!
Ann Austin is the executive director of the United Way of Freeborn County.