(from Susan's Tip of the Month in the Monthly e-Mail Update)
Gigi DuBois of the Texas Association of Hospital Auxiliaries was struck with a great idea during a workshop in McAllen, Texas, a week ago. She was thinking about how ecologists practice conservation of natural resources. For example, is a tree is cut down, it is considered good practice to plant another in its place. This "plant a tree" slogan made Gigi think up the idea of "Plant a 'teer!" What would happen if every volunteer in the country made it a goal to maintain their continuity of service by recruiting another volunTEER - but making sure the new volunteer is at least 15 years younger than the current one!
If you like this idea, you could use National Volunteer Week to get the momentum going. In your own organization, enlist volunteers in the obligation to maintain and "grow" service by nurturing younger participants. In the U.S., you can even note that President Bush has been urging a greater commitment to volunteer involvement. "Plant a 'teer" gives a new perspective on recruitment with a novel way to approach younger people while acknowledging the "planter" - a different form of volunteer recognition for those already active.
Thanks, Gigi, for creative thinking! So, have you "planted a 'teer" today?