Why Wait Until April for National Volunteer Month by Michael Camden

July 18, 2014 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Community Relations 

Every April, organizations and institutions around the country promote opportunities for all ages to volunteer in  support of events, campaigns, and activities for non-profits, churches, government, and academic institutions.  But why wait until April? And what happens after April? It would seem apparent that volunteers are needed year round.

Volunteering can be fun, motivational, and rewarding. Of course it can also be time consuming. There are many diverse ways for us to put our valuable time to work for others. Donate blood to the Red Cross. Organize a clean the neighborhood day. Join your civic league. Run or bike for a charity like the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  Take care of animals at the local shelter. It is a drop in the bucket to join organizations that do great works all around our region. Once you join, then step up and take on a leadership role on boards and committees. You will feel doubly worked and doubly fulfilled.

There are so many ways to put your talents to work for the good of everyone. You say you have no talent. What if you lack a certain talent that you would like to gain? Volunteer so that you can learn a new skill, while building your resume at the same time.

There are many great reasons to volunteer. Help others and feel great about yourself. Teach others and develop leadership and team building skills. Benefit from professional and social networking. Support the community. Experience the pure enjoyment and satisfaction!

Find your passion and get involved today. Most of us would agree that we are passionate about our children and their education. What better place to volunteer than through the Parent Teacher Association at your local school. The $5 membership fee helps fund programs throughout the school year. Equally important is your time: volunteering to sell refreshments on movie night, chaperoning your child’s class on a field trip, reading to an enthusiastic audience, landscaping the school grounds, or sponsoring a fundraising event. The list is endless. You and all of the children benefit from volunteerism in our local schools.

According to the March 2014 edition of The Voice (the Virginia Beach Council of Civic Organization’s newsletter), the city of Virginia Beach acknowledges over 20,000 volunteers with a monetary value of $20,661,040.

As we close out the month of April and National Volunteer Month, please share your time and talent feely.  Still I hope to see you out there doing your part 12 months a year! In fact, a great opportunity occurs on May 17 with Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup. Events are being planned locally, regionally, across the commonwealth and the nation. Together, we all can make a difference.

An avid volunteer, Michael Camden is the Enrollment Coordinator for the Hampton Roads site of Troy University. He may be reached at michael.camden@troy.edu.

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MCC Pro: What does ASAP mean? Are we communicating it effectively to our employees?

June 27, 2010 by · 50 Comments
Filed under: Bits and Tips 

by Alisa Crider, PR Associate

ASAP – what does it really mean? According to Dilbert’s comic strip it means “A Stupid Acting Person,” but if you ask the Dr. Seuss’ character Horton, from Horton Hears a Who, it “probably” means “act swiftly, awesome pachyderm.” However, “As Soon As Practical”, “After September, April Possibly” and “As Slow As Possible” are some playful, yet slang, pop culture meanings of the acronym. To the rock and roll fans it is the abbreviation for “Adrian Smith and Project,” a progressive rock band created by guitarist and vocalist Adrian Smith of the English band Iron Maiden. Although that “rocks” for some, I think it’s OK to assume that most people in the business world think the acronym ASAP means “As Soon As Possible.”

Believe it or not, there are hundreds of non-slang definitions for ASAP from various categories including: Information Technology (IT), Military & Government, Science & Medicine, Organizations, Schools, etc., and Business & Finance. For example, to the Navy it means survival – “Advanced Survivability Assessment Program”, which is a naval ship design, but to the Army it means trouble – “Army Substance Abuse Program. It’s the Automated Standard Application for Payment to the US Treasury Department and Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel to NASA. In the UK, it’s the “Association of Social Alarms Providers” and in Slovakia it means “Aeronautical Services and Procedures”.

Most commonly in our business communications, the acronym is used to express the importance of some act. It has higher priority than anything else and will be done in a short period of time. If this act is not done, it typically results in bad consequences that every employee wants to avoid if they like their job.

Besides working for Managing Communications Consulting, I also work at a law firm and as one should know, you can’t mess with the law! I was given an assignment that had to be done ASAP. I had not been working there long and had never been given an assignment with such apparent urgency. A check needed to be signed by the lawyer who wasn’t in the office. After obtaining his signature at a restaurant nearby, I then had a 30-minute drive to the court house to make the crucial deadline. If I drove really fast and didn’t catch any lights, I may have made it to my scheduled dentist appointment. Well, I had to reschedule. It’s funny how priorities can change when you are told something has to be done ASAP. It’s an acronym that brings stress and anxiety to me yet at the same time its exuberating because you know you have an important challenge ahead.

I think ASAP should be used sparingly. When bosses overuse the acronym it tends to lose its urgency. A boss that uses the term sparingly is more likely to get the desired result in a timely fashion.

Anyway, I seem to like the other definitions better. Remember… Always Say A Prayer…or is it Always Stop and Pray?

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