#GivingTuesday...and Don't Forget Wednesday, Thursday...

Perhaps, hopefully, you've seen my blogposts or tweets or Facebook status updates. All to remind you that the first Tuesday in December is now #GivingTuesday. Perhaps you haven't and now you're wondering, "what is that and what's for sale?"  Nope, surprise, no sale.  Instead, it's a national movement to remind us all that in this holiday season of thankfulness and giving, that we should concentrate a little on the giving of ourselves and sharing of our blessings, not just buying widgets on sale and wrapping them in shiny paper (though, of course, that is lots of fun.)

On this #GivingTuesday, hopefully, you will be inspired to take inventory of all that you have that you can offer to another person or to your community or a special cause. Write a check to your favorite charity, take food to a food pantry, cook a meal at a shelter, read to children at the hospital, give the waitress at dinner a little extra tip, help an old lady with her packages. I don't know - what've you go to give? We all have something to share.

And, I don't want to push you too hard, or maybe, maybe I do. After you think about what you will do on this #GivingTuesday in December, don't forget about  Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.... and January, February, March.... There is always someone in need. The family that is picking up food from the food pantry this month may be fine come January, but unfortunately, there will be another taking their place in line. Sadly, little kids will still be sick at the hospital, your favorite charity will still be in need.  During this month of feeling good, we give so much that pantries and closets and volunteer rosters often find themselves overflowing.  Remember, to fill these cups through out the year.

Make your commitment to give not just now, but in a month or two or nine when we've all returned to our normal lives.  During your Christmas shopping, pick up gloves, socks, and scarves to donate to a shelter in January.  Make a note to provide Easter baskets to your local children's hospital (of course, check with them first.)  Volunteer at a food kitchen on a random day in the spring.  Write yourself a note on your June calendar to donate sunscreen and hats to a local summer camp for underprivileged children.  Make plans to volunteer for a voters registration drive next fall. 

Not sure what you have to give?  As the Little Drummer Boy realized in the children's Christmas song, we all have something to give. Give the best of yourself.

Happy Giving!

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Are you part of the 80% or 20%? #GivingTuesday

What will you give on #GivingTuesday?

I am what some have termed a “professional volunteer.” I’m an active PTA mom, I help out with the summer swim team, I’m a Girl Scout troop leader, I crochet scarves for homeless women, I assist with my sorority conferences. Yes, I’m busy. But here’s the thing, between you and I, a quietly kept secret. I don’t volunteer for everything. There are some “signup to volunteer” messages that I hit “delete.” Guiltily so, but I do.

I believe in the 80/20 rule. I accept it – 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people.  I know that often, I am part of the 20%.  I’m now telling myself that I don’t always have to be part of 20%, sometimes I can be part of the crowd of folks that sits back and enjoys the fruits of everyone else’s volunteer efforts.  That’s fair, right?

I’ve never heard of the 100/100 rule, meaning that all of the work is shared equally among all of the people. In fact, I’ve never been involved in an organization where that has been true. Never.  I will thus conclude that this is an improbability of human nature.

Instead, I think that everybody can do something. I have friends who pay their PTA dues and then leave everything else to people like me.  And in turn, I do nothing more than show up and cheer at my daughter’s basketball games, while other parents man the clock and keep the statistics and blow up basketballs.  I manage the ticket sales of our sorority’s fundraising event to support our scholarship program, but I don’t tutor at the high school.  This balance seems fair in the overall cosmos of volunteering, right?

No-one should be dragged into volunteering.  It’s like the Bible says about tithing, you should do it willingly and happily, not grudgingly.  You should consider what you have to offer and where you can make a contribution.  We all do have something to offer, we all can make a difference, we all have value.  And there’s the perfect spot for everyone to share their gifts.  If we each give somewhere, then we all can rest sometine, too.  If we all take turns being part of the 20%, 100% of the work will get done.

What will you give?

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