Comments on volunteering and BonaReponds specifically

Where to start? I was asked to write a short article for the BonaResponds Newsletter and immediately was at a loss. There is so much going on and so much planned that there is no way I could limit myself to two paragraphs. So I will do a blog article and allow the newsletter editors to pick from there.

First the facts. BonaResponds is going great! Almost everything is going as planned. We have expanded our goals from just the Gulf (which limited us due to distance and time) to helping out locally as well. While the Gulf trips will no doubt be what people most associate with BonaResponds, the local trips have proven very fun, helpful, and rewarding.

On our first two local service projects we put approximately $7000 of services into the local community on budget of less than $250! Talk about your return on investment! And that says nothing of the sense of community, good PR, and learning that went on during these days!

These local days have the additional benefit of helping train volunteers for the work they will be doing in the Gulf region. This training was not necessary on our first trip as much deconstruction and clean-up work (which anyone can do) was available. Now, over a year after Katrina, the work is changing towards construction and a more skilled mix of volunteers are needed. Hence the more people we train, the more we can take on our trips.

And then the BonaReponds to Buffalo. Great stuff. On almost zero notice. While the turnout from campus was not great, I think it showed how little things do matter a great deal. Whether you call it a ripple effect or butterfly effect or whatever, our little bit of help and guidance was quickly multiplied many times over by neighbor helping neighbor. By the end of the day, this small wave led to 11 lawns being cleared of debris and the entire neighborhood having a new sense of community and togetherness. (oh and they all said they want to come back and help next week! See I told you this was fun!!) It was truly a day to be proud of BonaResponds!

Yep, all in all things are just going very very well.

BUT that is not to say that things can not go even better. They can get better and they will get better. We aim to develop BonaResponds into a world-class organization to help people and to build better leaders and better communities (yes World Class!).

We have stepped up training. We have the majority of our new board of advisors in place (details to soon be announced). Even after the successful fast response to Buffalo’s snow storm we are reevaluating how we can respond faster and in a more orderly and efficient manner.

The biggest impediment is that we need to get more people involved. More leaders. Josh, Ryan, James, and Anthony have done phenomenal work, but we flat out need to have more help. Even if you live from a far (remember the world is flat!) you could help put the newsletter together or work on the website. Or make calls, or write up grants, or the list is endless. So please help. It will be the most rewarding thing you do every week.

Of course if you are local and want to help even better. We need someone to work with alumni, someone to work on fundraising, someone to lead new projects, to get more volunteers. We need someone to work with the media, someone to get more underclass students involved, someone to work with the local community groups. Gee aren’t we needy ;)

But our plans and needs should not detract from the work and the success that has occurred. You all know of the success of the Spring break trip: almost 300 people at 5 sites in Mississippi and Louisiana, thousands of school books collected and sorted for schools that had been largely destroyed, over $7500 of sporting goods donated to Little Leagues in the region. You may not know however that the trip led many students to go back down over the summer. You may not know that at least one former student took a year off to work with Americorp in Biloxi.

You probably do not know that at least 5 employers have called me to ask about the work that students have done on BonaResponds. Why? Employers love to see students who are involved in leadership and caring.

You probably do not know of the untold friendships, memories, and life-changing events that have happened.

Yep, BonaResponds is a success. This was driven home when I recently had the opportunity to go to three speakers in the Olean area who all more or less described BonaResponds.

The first speaker was Thomas Oreck, the CEO of Oreck Vaccuum. Their headquarters in New Orleans were destroyed as were their production facilities in Long Beach. He spoke on the importance of management caring for others, of flexible thinking, and of a can-do attitude. All three things have become trademarks of BonaResponds.

The second speaker was Brother Ed. He was speaking as part of Francis Week on Francis’ transformational moments; the moments that changed Francis’ life. The key point? Francis was transformed when he reached out, when he went out and met others. Again this is BonaResponds.

The final speaker was Sharon Parks. She was speaking on developing leaders and the changing business environment. Very eloquently she stressed the need to work with people of all walks of life, of adopting a flexibility in management that is adapts to conditions but is grounded in purpose. Later at dinner she emphasized how little things matter. She told the story of a group of volunteers that gutted the house. Upon finishing the owner said thanks and that he and his wife had planned to commit suicide that night because of the hopelessness but through their help, the volunteers had saved the lives of the couple. Oh yeah, it turned out that the volunteers had gutted the “wrong” house.

What lesson is common?? I see three things that are in all three lectures:

1. Helping others helps you.

2. Small things count (in the language of finance “Life is not linear”)

3. We are all in this together. Let’s work together.

Which really is a good way to sum up the work of BonaResponds. In fact, it may be the best way to live life: Treat others as you would like them to treat you. That is what we do. Won’t you join us? Won’t you help us?

Remember: October 22nd and October 29th. Email BonaResponds for more informatuion. Headquarters at the Lancaster Maintenance Garage near Broadway and Central in downtown Lancaster. Come and bring others. We'll find the work for you.