The Power of Volunteering

Since I started as Volunteer Coordinator 6 months ago, I have continually been amazed by the commitment, energy and generosity of the volunteers who come to the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center.

In 6 months, our volunteers have given us almost 800 hours of their time in many ways:

• to fabricate functional items for our workshops
• staffing our gallery
• making food for our events
• distributing flyers
• photography & web design
• tedious data entry
• even to clean our restroom among other things!

This doesn't even include our dedicated Stoker, or shop management, team who attend regular training and keep regular hours to ensure the smooth running of our shop.

Today I read about an interesting study that stated: "...research carried out by Volunteer Ireland has found that being involved in volunteering makes people happier. The research was carried out on more than 500 active volunteers across the country with 98% responding that ‘volunteering makes them a happier person’." I'm hope the same can be said for American volunteers!

With that in mind, I have a little announcement...This week is the first time a volunteer has logged enough hours to avail of a free class at CAFAC, I am so happy that this individual is Lori Shimer, our first ever gallery volunteer who has been with us from the beginning of the Nokomis Gallery in 2010, she deserves it!!

Now if she could only decide whether to take welding or blacksmithing...hmm...