Written by Jane Wright, Volunteer Committee Chair
If you are an EMERGE member, you are probably already aware that there are several different committees you can get involved with. Today, I am going to shine a spotlight on my favorite one, the Volunteer Committee. Full disclosure: I am the chair of this committee, so I do have a bit of a bias!
That being acknowledged, I suppose I should tell you (briefly) how I got involved with the Volunteer Committee in the first place. Believe it or not, I wasn’t even an EMERGE member yet when I participated in my first volunteer event with them. It was back in December of 2019 helping out at the KidsPack warehouse. I enjoyed my time so much, that a couple of months later, I decided to join EMERGE, mainly
so I could get involved with this committee!
Here are some of the reasons I think the Volunteer Committee is so awesome, and what you can expect if you decide to check us out:
It is made up of a group of wonderful people. Everyone involved with this committee is caring, kind, and pleasant to be around. If you attend one of our meetings, I am confident that you will instantly feel welcomed and connected. Although the core of the group has been together for a little over a year now, there is definitely no cliquey vibe!
Through volunteering, you get connected not only with the awesome people on the committee, but also with the local community through service. Lakeland has been expanding rapidly in recent years and getting connected is an important way to still feel like part of a community rather than like just another person in a big(ish) city.
Of course volunteering isn’t all about benefitting oneself! The most rewarding part of being involved with this committee is making a difference in the lives of other people and having a positive impact on the city of Lakeland as a whole. Each year, we plan three volunteer events with local non-profits. There are also always several “unofficial” volunteer opportunities that come up if you want to do some extra good deeds!
Finally, it is our responsibility to organize EMERGE Serves every year, which is a 5-6 week program that prepares participants for effective board service. It is a great way to meet local community leaders and learn more about some of the many non-profit organizations in our city and how you can get more involved with them.
If any of that appeals to you, please join us for one of our committee meetings. We meet on the third Wednesday of every month at the Lake Morton location of Black and Brew. You would be most welcome!