Just when I was sure July was coming in May this year, we had some relief. The last couple of days have provided us with stormy mornings and sparkling, sunny afternoons. It has been lovely to lie snug in my warm bed, listening to grumbling thunder and feeling the sweet-scented breeze slipping past my cheek in a cool caress. The normal riot of bird sounds was replaced by the quiet patter and muffled dripping of rain.
Despite the fact that I will surely have to mow my lawn this weekend, I was very glad to see the rain. Everything was so very dry! I ached for my trees, knowing that even their mighty roots couldn’t pull moisture from the ground that wasn’t there. But while the trees stayed stalwart and green, many of their smaller cousins have succumbed to the heat, quickly seeding out and turning dry and skeletal. Only the airy white tufts of Queen Anne’s Lace and the sturdy blue spikes of wild chicory seem immune to their situation.
This morning everything was different. The sun shone merrily among puffy white clouds and everything already looked greener. The world is moist and cool. I could almost see the new green shoots of grass spring up from bleached clumps. Stalks and branches that looked brittle and dead have become supple and alive once more. Water is indeed a wonderful element, capable of performing near miracles.
Volunteers are a lot like water in a non-profit organization.
They can make a rigid organization flexible, make work go much more smoothly, and flow gently into the gaps left by regular staff. Since they are attending by their own choice, they often have energy and enthusiasm to spare. Yet with all their benefits, managing volunteers can be difficult. FundRaiser’s Volunteer Module can help you make the most of this valuable resource. It allows you to track skills, hours, interests, times available, and work history. There is also a full selection of reports for specific to the volunteer module. Those of you with FundRaiser Professional already have full access to the Volunteer Module. If you have FundRaiser Select, it is simple and cost effective to add it.
For more information or a tour of the Volunteer Module, please feel free to call Tech Support at 800-543-4131