Happy New Year
January
Starting the year with a fresh outlook. Covington and Burling has accepted sue rock originals EVERYONE!!! as a client and will be processing our paperwork for 501(c)3 status. There is a tingling in my chesk and flutter all around just thinking about it. I just focus on the tasks at hand which are, reviewing the last year’s deliveries, the relationships developed (or lost) and the plans for this year, not necessarily in that order.
After the past two years, I think that the concept of a craft charity is a good one – longevity is definitely key. I find a few things disheartening, thought, that I will be focusing on learning how to handle better.
VOLUNTEERS WHO DISAPPEAR……
Of the cases of yarn I have received over the past five years, I would say one full case has been lost to people who basically fell of the face of the planet. Whether it was the concept to free high end yarn for the taking, or the “oops I just forgot” – I realized rather early on that I had a misperception of some sort of knitters/crocheters code. Though many people show up, email, call and write – mostly everything is created by a core group of around six to seven volunteers – with me picking up the rear when things get close to the wire. Now it may not be the same six to seven people, but that seems to be the core number. I’ll have to develop a way to entrust the “good Yarns” to my tried and true volunteers and allow people to run rampant on the Red Heart Pink Rainbow One Pounders!
Which leads me to my next topic.
MAKE SURE VOLUNTEERS GET CREDIT
During the summer of last year, I received a number of requests for interviews around sue rock originals EVERYONE!!! A small newspaper, I assumed that distribution would be small, however was excited at the prospect of being in the press. The writer of the piece requested photos and some print copy about what we do – I immediately sent out two of my best photos, items that had been designed and created by a volunteer. I forgot to give the writer the artist’s name.
You can imagine the look on my face when my volunteer contacted me on the voicemail, wanting to know why her name had not been mentioned in the article at all. Unfortunately, double injury had been made, due to the fact that she and I had met THROUGH the writer of the article. After profuse apologies, retractions and clumsy explanations, I was able to smooth things over (barely). New relationships are something which I treasure developing, however the combination of talent, representation, publicity and interpretation of experience all got jumbled together. It was a great lesson. Everyone deserves their due, and I am always admiring the work of my volunteers as phenomenal. This year I look forward to framing the organization in such a way as to feature the volunteers and the organization as a whole, for if it was not for them, this organization would not be successful.
DELIVERING TO THE WOMEN
Domestic Violence services are generally delivered though a social service organization. As such they are often overwhelmed, understaffed and underfunded. The women they are assisting may or may not leave the abuser, may or may not press charges, heck – they may or may not be abused! The process of working with revolving door administrators and directors with WAY too much on their plate to be concerned with what was going on was very challenging – emotionally.
This year, as my status becomes legally binding, I will be looking a reaching out to a broader range of agencies, making my current associations stronger and most of all
Keep on Keepin on!!!
Love to you all and look forward to meeting you this year
HAPPY 2007!!!
