Happy Volunteer Week to everyone in the USA and Canada!
It was great to see the US President has issued a Presidential Proclamation regarding the week. In it he says " America's story has been marked by the service of volunteers. Generations of selfless individuals from all walks of life have served each other and our Nation, each person dedicated to making tomorrow better than today."
I must admit I am annoyed he managed to slip in the phase we hear every Volunteer Week everywhere in the world: "Volunteers are the lifeblood of our schools and shelters........, ". I can see Susan Ellis rolling her eyes smiling. My thought is if they are the lifeblood, can we please get better insurance coverage for volunteer service and better pay for their coordinators?
Mr Obama goes on to say: "During National Volunteer Week, we celebrate the profound impact of volunteers and encourage all Americans to discover their own power to make a difference. Every one of us has a role to play in making our communities and our country stronger."
and concludes:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 10 through April 16, 2011, as National Volunteer Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week by volunteering in service projects across our country and pledging to make service a part of their daily lives.
Thank you Mr President - and whoever encouraged him to issue this proclamation.
Volunteering Canada notes that it is their 68th Volunteer Week and have an impressive marketing strategy around the week. Well done guys. The theme for Canadian National Volunteer Week 2011 is Volunteers: Passion. Action. Impact. !
For more:
- Hands on
- Youth Service America has some great NVW stories
- EnergizeInc has some NVW ideas
In the meantime, Volunteering Australia sent me 4 copies of the Australian NVW Poster that I don't like. (the fact that 80 per cent of Volunteer Managers surveyed didn't like it may be relevant too!). In real life (and not on a screen) it still doesn't grab me. Check it out here. The good news for Australians is that there are some NVW 2011 pins available for $1 each.
