One of the challenges we face as an organization is finding ways to involve our members who want to be more active.
Many people, members and non-members, love the parks of the South Cumberland and spend weekends and holidays on the trails. It’s not unusual for some of those people to appear at the Friends annual meeting or to send messages and ask us to let them know if they can help with anything we need.
Well, we do need help. But do we give members enough chance to help beyond giving their money?
To build a stronger organization, we need to provide our members with ways to use their talents and apply those talents to something they love.
Twelve members serve on the Friends board of directors, and some others serve on standing committees, most notably the Community Relations Committee. Our webmaster and newsletter editor are volunteers. A few other volunteers fill in at ranger stations. That should be just the beginning of our list, but, unfortunately, it’s currently the whole package.
For these reasons, I’m beginning some small steps to form a planning group of Friends volunteers. Park Manager John Christof has assigned Ranger Anthony Jones to help with this effort—to identify projects and help with resources.
What would the opportunities be? Trail maintenance and construction offer the most obvious projects for volunteering. Yet, there are other kinds of projects that can improve and enrich the experience for park visitors and, at the same time, can protect and conserve the more fragile areas of the parks and natural areas.
We should plan well, so that we waste neither our goodwill nor the time and energy of volunteer members.
Jeff Hunter, regional director of the American Hiking Society, offered some excellent suggestions in a talk recently at the State Friends Conference. Hunter, who has been very active in organizing volunteers to work on the Cumberland Trail, said most of the trail systems in American have been built and are maintained by volunteers.
Among Jeff’s suggestions: Give volunteers clear goals and training, provide food, some entertainment, and an opportunity to socialize, and add an educational component.
Sound like fun? You bet. So, if you can offer your own suggestions or would like to join the planning, let me know. Logging onto the Friends website, may also be a good place to start.
Latham Davis
President, Friends of South Cumberland State Recreation Area, Inc.
Labels: President's Message
