For the first time at the new Multifaith Works office (115
16th Ave.), grills will crackle and jazz trumpets will sound. With
the sun unashamedly shining (hopefully!), the moment is prime to picnic. The
staff and Board of Directors eagerly await and invite you to the annual
Volunteer Appreciation Picnic on Saturday, July 14th, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Food will be provided by the staff and board.
The picnic celebrates the over 500 current volunteers who
have chosen Multifaith Works as a place to share their diverse talents and
devoted compassion. We gather to celebrate Shanti volunteers providing one-to
one listening in homes, coffee shops, walking paths, jails, and prisons. We
gather to honor office volunteers, the Board of Directors, housing work groups,
and all who fill vital roles in agency planning, fundraising, and maintenance.
We gather to appreciate the CareTeam volunteers who create community through
phone calls, shared meals, transportation, and patient love.
A couple months ago, a new CarePartner was matched with a
CareTeam. Her isolation struck me; she was sick, but more importantly had no
one with whom she could share her humor and her spunk. After weeks of missed
phone calls and cancelled visits, the CarePartner finally spent an afternoon
with two volunteers. She called me the next day to describe a peculiar feeling:
“I went to bed last night and realized that for the first time in years I didn’t
feel lonely. They are changing my life.” Her words do better than mine to
describe who our volunteers are and why they deserve thanks. The picnic
celebration is a needed proclamation that the spirit, commitment, and effort of
our volunteers are astounding. Please join us in gratitude with a hot dog and
an afternoon together! See you on the 14th.
Brian Halcomb
Volunteer Program Manager
