Working with our Volunteers is the Best Part of my Job
Our volunteers are the life and blood of the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program. As staff, it does not matter if we are providing a training, talking with them on the phone, or visiting in person, we cannot help but get excited about what our volunteers accomplish.
During an average year, we involve nearly 20,000 volunteers in many ways. They may serve as the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day coordinator or assistant coordinator, a member of the planning committee, an instructor for the many topics covered at a Safety Day, or even a group leader to assist controlling the movement of each class of participants. We also cannot forget about those volunteers that help set up before the event and clean up following the Safety Day. And the list continues, as even more volunteers help to take care of registration, lunches, snacks, water breaks, and logistics – to name a few.
This dedicated group of volunteers average nearly 121,000 hours every year. And when you figure that we host nearly 400 Safety Days across North America, you can quickly see how powerful and important our volunteers are to the success of the program. For just a moment, stop and look at the impact that these individuals make on the local communities.
Each volunteer brings with them valuable skills, and we have the privilege of seeing the growth of our volunteers in many ways. One of the most obvious skills we see is their coordination skills while hosting the Safety Day. But beyond that, we notice their soft skills as through the smiles, the happy atmosphere, visiting with friends and neighbors, and helping the kids on a special day. Their passion for the program is energizing as they ask us how else they can help, thank us for asking them to help, and always reminding us to call them next year. Each Safety Day reminds us firsthand that volunteering is good for the mind, body, and soul.
If you want to set a good example for others, simply volunteer. People notice who volunteer, who is helping to get the job done, and kids are watching too. Many kids want to be just like Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa. We have seen time and time again the positive impact of our volunteers when the role of a retiring coordinator is filled by their son or daughter. Because, when they see their role models out there volunteering, having fun, helping your community, guess what…we have another volunteer in the making.
Throughout the years of our program, it is one of the most heartwarming moments when we see the progression of a Safety Day participant become volunteer, and then become a coordinator.
If you think you may want to volunteer with a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day or help in any way, it is simple, give us a call at 888-257-3529, or visit our website at www.progressiveag.org.
By: Bernard Geschke, program specialist with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation
Bernard Geschke is a program specialist with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, which governs and secures funding for the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® program. And working for a Foundation built on volunteers, Bernard knows the importance of giving his time to other people and organizations. He stays busy with his family, volunteering in his community, and promoting health and safety outreach with various other organizations in his home state of Nebraska.