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The Sierra Club—A Volunteer Opportunity for Every Person (and Personality!)
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2007

One task or many, a challenge or a cakewalk, you can find the right volunteer opportunity in the Sierra Club.

You’d really like to do something for the environment, but after a day at work you can’t stand to be around people. Or maybe you’d really like  to do something for the environment, but after a day at work you’ve just got to spend some time with people. Either way, the Sierra Club has something for you.

You’d like to volunteer, but you’re looking for something challenging—a real learning experience—not some mindless clerical task. Or maybe you’d like to volunteer, but with your busy life, you only have energy for a soothingly mindless task—no challenges, please. Either way, the Sierra Club has something for you.

You’d like to advance your favorite cause; you’re willing to do almost anything for it, but you don’t want to be distracted with unrelated matters. Or maybe you’d like to help the environment, but you really don’t have any particular favorite cause; you want help in knowing  what’s most important. Either way—you’ve figured it out by now—the Sierra Club has something  for you.

You’d like to volunteer, but you hate making phone calls? That’s all right; at times we need phone callers, but we’ll find people who like making them or who at least feel comfortable with the challenge. You hate stuffing envelopes? That’s fine; other folks will eagerly do that kind of work. You hate sitting still and reading complicated materials? OK, we’ll find other people who like doing this. The effectiveness of the Sierra Club as a volunteer organization is that everyone has different likes and dislikes, and different strengths and weaknesses, but when we all work together, there’s a congenial role for everyone, and everyone gets to fill a real need.

Perhaps you don’t feel educated enough? Then you have a choice of volunteer opportunities that don’t require prior knowledge, including lots of opportunities to learn while doing. Sometimes you get to learn a lot! Which kind of opportunity do you want? We have it!

Perhaps you have a disability? That doesn’t keep you from volunteering. Many of our volunteers have disabilities—but we focus on their abilities. Some are champion envelope-sealers; some are champion conservation organizers. Just as for any other volunteer, we try to help you find the volunteer opportunities that fit your skills and interests. We don’t pigeonhole you; we try to give you the chance to contribute in
the way you want.

Sierra Club volunteering is very much about you as an individual: what do you want to do? In fact, the most effective volunteers are people who find slots that fit their interests, their schedules, and their personalities. When you call us to find a volunteer opportunity, we will try to help you find an opportunity that fits your personal desires.

If you’d like to volunteer, give us a call. Our Chapter administrator, Laurel Imlay, is a champion at helping you to find your individual place as a Sierra Club volunteer. Contact her at the chapter office at 301 277-7111, or e-mail laurel.imlay@sierraclub.org.      

This article adapted with permission from The Yodeler, the chapter newsletter of the SF Bay Chapter in California.

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