Center Volunteer Appreciation Event
Guest Post by Rob Zukowski
On Wednesday, February 1st the Center held its volunteer appreciation event. Kate Shaffer, the Center’s Volunteer Coordinator, organized this amazing gathering as a thank you to the many who give so much of themselves and their time in support of their community.
Having had the privilege, some years ago, to serve as the manager of the Center’s volunteer program myself, I was thrilled to see so many people enjoying the much deserved festivities. More than 100 guests, all hard-working Center volunteers, were in attendance. They enjoyed an assortment of hors d’oeuvres from the buffet table, complimentary cocktails, and danced to music by DJ Dan Darlington. A portion of the delightful delicacies were kindly donated by Los Charritos and the event design was generously provided by Roy Braeger.
Executive Director, Glennda Testone took to the stage to thank the honored guests for their hard work, dedication and commitment to Center stating, “This event is a small token of appreciation, and couldn’t even begin to match our gratitude for the exceptional contributions Center volunteers make every day.” Exceptional is right. Center volunteers make great things happen. In 2011 volunteers donated over 13,500 hours of service to 142 events and raised well over $1 million to support the Center’s programs.
Who staffed the event, you may be wondering? I am happy to say that Center staff members, from every department, volunteered their time to make this event happen and happily gave their time back to those who give so often. Yojani Hernandez, Cultural Programs Officer at the Center, was among the staff turned volunteer that night. “It was really great to support the Volunteer Appreciation event,” she said. “With all the events and projects that volunteers make possible at the Center it felt fantastic to give a little back. We all know that nothing happens at the Center without volunteer support.”
The room was filled with an array of folks from new volunteers to long time volunteers. Six notable such individuals have been volunteering their time at the Center ranging from 10 to 22 years. I was delighted to run into a volunteer who worked for me on NYC Pride events a number of years ago. He told me, “I love the Center. Even if I can’t give as much time as I used to, I still always give what I can. I think every little bit helps.” And he’s right. Whether you can provide an hour, a week, a month or 22 years, volunteers are the heart of the Center.
The next time you drop by the Center, look around you – no matter where you go or what time of day or night it may be, it’s guaranteed that you will run into someone who is unselfishly giving their time. Volunteers work recurring shifts every day of the week and support every department at the Center.
