Emily F. is Meetup's Organizer of the Week for August 13 - 19, 2007

Hello Everyone!

This week we stop where east meets west - St. Louis, MO. So many times we are entirely wrapped up in our own day-to-day lives that we turn a blind-eye to those who lack the basic necessities we so often take for granted.

When I found this group and interviewed the woman behind this Meetup - which, by the way is the largest of its topic - I felt my heart warm and a sense of renewed gratitude toward the blessings of this life, many of which I tend to take for granted.

Being an active volunteer does so much in the way of helping others, but also it touches our own lives in ways no other activity can. Think about it.

I am humbled yet very excited to introduce you to someone truly inspiring, The Meetup Organizer of the Week for August 13 - 19: Emily F. and Saint Louis Volunteer Group

1. Was there any one event or observation that spurred your interest in volunteer work?
   
   

   Several experiences initiated my interest in volunteerism. Growing up, my mom would involve the family in numerous volunteer projects so it is something that has always been a part of my life. As an adult, it is so easy to get caught up in the day to day stresses; a rough week at work, bills, an argument with a loved one, etc. Reaching out to people that are experiencing circumstances that you can't even begin to imagine reminds us of how much we have to be thankful for in our own lives. I find that volunteering can be quite therapeutic!

   
   
   

2. What is your opinion of using Meetup.com to rally a group of volunteers. Did you advertise your intentions for the group outside of the website, and if so, where and how?
   
   

   Meetup has certainly been a key component in the growth and success of our group! When the group first started, I used several additional resources to advertise the group such as Craig's List, tear off signs, and putting links to our page in e-mails. The article the St. Louis Post Dispatch recently did on our group really helped our numbers grow as well. Word of mouth continues to be our most used form of advertisement; members tell friends about us, organizations we work with spread the word of our group and meeting people at other Meetup group events.

   
   
   

3. I noticed you make good use of the polls feature for taking the temperature of your members. If you could improve on or add an additional feature to help you along with Meetup.com, what would that be?
   
   

   Having a "waiting list" feature for full events would be wonderful! Many of the non profit organizations we volunteer with can only accommodate "x" amount of volunteers. I have to limit the number of RSVPs as a result and often times people that would of liked to attend are not able to. It would be great if members could RSVP on the waiting list for full events and then be bumped into an open spot as people change their RSVPs from yes to no.

   
   
   

4. How did you go about finding agencies that needed volunteer help? Does your group have an exclusive schedule with one or two? How do you decide which cause to help?
   
   

   I have utilized a multitude of resources to identify organizations for us to work with. My goal for the group is to create a variety of events serving various needs so that each person can get what they hoped for from the group.

   I spend a great deal of time searching the Internet and always keep my eyes and ears open for new organizations to contact. Often, organizations will share details of our group with other organizations who then contact me to see if we can help them as well. I also encourage anyone in the group who has an idea for an event or an organization they would like to work with to share that information. I'm thankful to have so many wonderful members eager to volunteer who help plan events for the group!

   We have many organizations that we've worked with numerous times and others than need us for a one time event. We are constantly adding new organizations to our volunteer list and brainstorming more ways of helping the community.

   
   
   

5. Could you share a "most memorable experience" with us?
   
   

   There are so many with this group!! One on going event that the group participated in, Winter Patrol, was especially memorable because of the impact it had on us and the homeless we served. Groups of volunteers gathered on bitter cold evenings this past winter and ventured out to abandoned areas of St. Louis to share sandwiches, water, coats, blankets, socks, etc with homeless forced to sleep on the streets in the freezing weather conditions. We continue to talk about this experience and are looking forward to doing more homeless outreach. The reality of how these people were living really tugged at our emotions and the support from members for this event was nothing short of amazing. Even if someone could not participate, they were eager to donated items for members to hand out.

   
   
   

6. In what ways can you see how Meetup.com has enhanced or changed your life, and in turn, enhancing the lives of others?
   
   

   Meetup is such an inventive organization; creating a tool for people to come together based on common interests. The experiences I have had with the St. Louis Volunteer Group has been such an amazing journey. We have a group of wonderful, generous and fun people that come together with the common goal of helping others and we have a great time doing it! Being able to utilize Meetup to bring this group to light has been a gift. There are so many ways the group has and continues to positively impact my life and it spreads beyond me and my fellow volunteers into the community-that is a wonderful thing to be a part of!

   
   
   

7. Its tough for most people to find the time to help others on a volunteer basis. How do you find the time to integrate organizing the Meetups and on top of it spending various hours volunteering?
   
   

   It can be a full time job in itself, however, far more fun and rewarding than any other job I have had! It is something I enjoy and feel passionate about so I make the time to include it in my schedule. I am fortunate to have wonderful assistant organizers and fellow volunteers to help plan and facilitate events our calendar is especially full.

   So many people have the desire to help others and get involved but time is a huge obstacle in doing so. Before starting the St. Louis Volunteer Group, I wanted to get involved in volunteerism but faced the same challenge of finding the time. Many organizations require very specific commitments that can be difficult for busy professionals. The advantage of our group is that people can sign up for events based upon their availability and there is not an on going commitment-simply participate as you can. I try to create events on varying days and times to accommodate all. Since so many people work day time hours, many of our events are held in the evenings or on weekends. Additionally, if there is a volunteer need that we may not be able to do as a group because of the time it is held, I will post the information for the group so that members who are available can participate.

   
   
   

8. Where do you see your group headed for the rest of 2007 and beyond?
   
   

   Well, we are excited to have reached nearly 1000 volunteer hours since we started less than a year ago! Our first year has been a success and we continue to grow and develop. I hope to see our volunteer hours double, triple and beyond in the years to come!
   

Be sure to share your congrats with Emily in the Organizer's Forum!