I have been in New Orleans for three days and today was the National Conference on Volunteering and Service opening. Having been involved intensively with the pre conference Symposium for Advanced Volunteer Engagement, I already feel well and truly in conference mode!
I must admit I really enjoyed the opening.
The opening was held in a mostly darkened room which meant seeing other people or taking photos was not easy. There were four large screens which projected movies and elements from the stage. We started with some terrific music and we kept coming back to terrific music. Well done on this. I tweeted at one point that I felt like dancing. Other people remained still- not sure if shy or overawed at being in a darkened room with 3000 people. Applause however was loud throughout and at times standing ovations.
The theme: Champions of Service.
I thought the music was great and there were some terrific stories about volunteerism in New Orleans. My favourite was about the musicians neighbourhood in New Orleans planned by Harry Connick jr and Branford Marsallis is on track for 70 houses in an area ruined by Hurricane Katrina. These houses are built largely by volunteers. I saw the project last time I was in New Orleans and was impressed. I have to be honest, I had never heard of Branford Marsallis (I am not a huge jazz music follower) but I loved, loved, loved his audio visual presentation. The project is astounding.
I liked what the Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu had to say along the lines of "give more, get more". He was short to the point and full of the right energy! Thanks mayor.
Also interesting for me was the question Chad Pregracke posed: -Why do we know all about the lives of celebrities but not these phenomenal amazing service projects". How nice would it be for Who magazine to feature some of our unsung volunteer heros!!! People loved him and his example of cleaning up the rivers of the USA!
My first criticism of the opening session was that while there were some heart warming and fun stories of volunteering, there were too many for me. The audience lives those stories. We dont need to be told volunteering is wonderful again and again. We know it and believe it already. See my concluding comments below.
The weirdest part of the opening was that Michelle Nunn and Robert Velasco, II, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service whilst on stage together were placed at two podiums at some distance from each other. It kind of felt like there was some sort of gap between them.
Of course what is weirder is that no one can get the to the question on everyone's lips: why did Patrick Covington, the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service step down from the role after 16 months on May 27? At that time, he said he was taking an “opportunity in the nonprofit community” without saying where his next gig would be. The resignation came after such a short time in the role, in the midst of turmoil over CNCS's budget and a week before their joint National Conference with Points of Light. Strange timing. For everyone who keeps asking me: I dont know why he has gone but its very odd. There is not even a press release about it from CNCS. Anyone able to illuminate?
Michelle shared a nice story about a little girl Riley Hebberd who saw that the kids in African refugee camps didnt have toys. She gave her own toys to them, persuaded her school friends and has now started a foundation that sends toys to Africa. This is proof that young kids "get volunteering". I am sorry, in the back of mind came the nagging question: "do the kids want/like the toys they get?" and "how can we get the kids out of refugee camps instead of sending toys". I dont like being cynical but having lived in Africa and having worked with some well intentioned but inappropriate donations, I wonder. Then the other part of me said "does it matter?". Surely some good can be blessed in some way?
That was a good lead in to the presentation by the founder of Kaboom Darell Hammond who builds children's playgrounds.
The Target gift was very much appreciated and it was nice to chat to some of them! They looked amazing in their bright red t shirts saying "thank you for your service". Great touch. I think I want to give mine to Riley Hebberd's toy program.
Theres always a lot of politics at the NCVS opening (this was my tenth). Robert Rosenthal of Volunteer Match (picture right) noted, however, in a Tweet that "90 mins in, I think I can count Obama references at #NCVS opening session on one... finger?".
As is usual with the NCVS Conference opening.....tooo long with too many talking heads...I d cut a few out (but who of course?) One person said to me that they counted 20 speakers in the two hour session. One of the segments included a 25 minute chat between "political consultants" James Carville and Mary Matalin. There were some gems in their discussion but it felt way too long for an opening session. Post podcasts on line and we can check them out.
The whole show ended with Roots of Music playing again.
Overall rating for the NCVS Opening Session: 8.5 out of 10.
What did you think? Comments welcome below:-
I must admit I really enjoyed the opening.
The theme: Champions of Service.
I thought the music was great and there were some terrific stories about volunteerism in New Orleans. My favourite was about the musicians neighbourhood in New Orleans planned by Harry Connick jr and Branford Marsallis is on track for 70 houses in an area ruined by Hurricane Katrina. These houses are built largely by volunteers. I saw the project last time I was in New Orleans and was impressed. I have to be honest, I had never heard of Branford Marsallis (I am not a huge jazz music follower) but I loved, loved, loved his audio visual presentation. The project is astounding.
I liked what the Mayor of New Orleans Mitch Landrieu had to say along the lines of "give more, get more". He was short to the point and full of the right energy! Thanks mayor.
Also interesting for me was the question Chad Pregracke posed: -Why do we know all about the lives of celebrities but not these phenomenal amazing service projects". How nice would it be for Who magazine to feature some of our unsung volunteer heros!!! People loved him and his example of cleaning up the rivers of the USA!
My first criticism of the opening session was that while there were some heart warming and fun stories of volunteering, there were too many for me. The audience lives those stories. We dont need to be told volunteering is wonderful again and again. We know it and believe it already. See my concluding comments below.
The weirdest part of the opening was that Michelle Nunn and Robert Velasco, II, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service whilst on stage together were placed at two podiums at some distance from each other. It kind of felt like there was some sort of gap between them.
Of course what is weirder is that no one can get the to the question on everyone's lips: why did Patrick Covington, the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service step down from the role after 16 months on May 27? At that time, he said he was taking an “opportunity in the nonprofit community” without saying where his next gig would be. The resignation came after such a short time in the role, in the midst of turmoil over CNCS's budget and a week before their joint National Conference with Points of Light. Strange timing. For everyone who keeps asking me: I dont know why he has gone but its very odd. There is not even a press release about it from CNCS. Anyone able to illuminate?
Michelle shared a nice story about a little girl Riley Hebberd who saw that the kids in African refugee camps didnt have toys. She gave her own toys to them, persuaded her school friends and has now started a foundation that sends toys to Africa. This is proof that young kids "get volunteering". I am sorry, in the back of mind came the nagging question: "do the kids want/like the toys they get?" and "how can we get the kids out of refugee camps instead of sending toys". I dont like being cynical but having lived in Africa and having worked with some well intentioned but inappropriate donations, I wonder. Then the other part of me said "does it matter?". Surely some good can be blessed in some way?
That was a good lead in to the presentation by the founder of Kaboom Darell Hammond who builds children's playgrounds.The Target gift was very much appreciated and it was nice to chat to some of them! They looked amazing in their bright red t shirts saying "thank you for your service". Great touch. I think I want to give mine to Riley Hebberd's toy program.
As is usual with the NCVS Conference opening.....tooo long with too many talking heads...I d cut a few out (but who of course?) One person said to me that they counted 20 speakers in the two hour session. One of the segments included a 25 minute chat between "political consultants" James Carville and Mary Matalin. There were some gems in their discussion but it felt way too long for an opening session. Post podcasts on line and we can check them out.
Overall rating for the NCVS Opening Session: 8.5 out of 10.
What did you think? Comments welcome below:-
