Sometimes I HATE being a volunteer.....

[December99]

I just got a call from a cookie mom chewing my *** off about how her cookie booth sales went last year and that they have normally taken two doors at this one place they sell at and they were forced to only take one door last year. I'm like - did you call me and tell me your problem last year or did you mark on your sheet this year that you would like both doors????? NO!!!!! So don't ***** about it...finally I slammed my office door shut and went off on her........UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Makes volunteering fun when people ***** and complain and they don't even give you a chance......and they didn't bother to let you know the year before what problems they had so they could be avoided this year!!!!!!!!

okay - rant over...now I'm gonna go email the head person that does get paid for this at our council and let her be on the lookout!!!!!

 

[CarolA]

Chris,
I know how you feel. I once asked a Girl Scout Leader when we changed the name of the organization to "Adult" scouts. (She wanted me to kick a troop of Brownies off a bus trip so that she could bring 10 extra adults!)

Just kick it to the council. As I tell them, you get paid to put up with these idiots!

Remember you do it for the girls.

 

[Mattsmom]

Chris, learn to say this pharse -

You have such wonderful ideas, would you like this job next year!

It shuts them up everytime! Someone give me this advice when I started Volunteering years ago.

 

[disykat]

It drives me crazy when I hear complaints about last years event (of any kind) and why didn't we change it - at this years event after no complaints or comments about the supposed problem. Why is it people think we can read their minds? GRRR!

I'm sure that you, like all volunteer organizations, are constantly asked for input and involvement. Why do people think complaining after the fact is the only way to be involved?

Sorry, I had to add my rant too! At least the cookie volunteer is someone who does volunteer some of her time. I've used Matt'smoms advice often and never had anyone take me up on it - much as I'd really like them to!

 

[December99]

Exactly disykat...and with our council we have a form they can submit with input...I told her if she was that unhappy - she can submit the form cause I'd be more than happy to give up the position!!!!! She laughed and stated she wasn't doing cookies next year so it's not her problem next year!!!!! ROFLMBO......THEN WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME IF IT APPEARS TO NOT MATTER?????? HELLO!!!!!!

 

[m&m's mom]

I just received a similar themed email. Apparantly a lot of Mothers in our area have been complaining about the amount of time etc the girls have to spend on the cookie sales.
I, at this point, cannot comment as I am a Daisy leader and we can't sell yet. I honestly am not looking forward to the stress next year either. I guess that is the joy of being the leader- I can delegate!
On the subject of volunteering - I was the only Mother who would agree to be the GS leader out of 10 Mothers. I am also the only working Mother. I fly out of my office on Thursday nights to get home in time for all of the non-working Moms to drop their kids off at my house and "have some quiet time" w/out their kids.
I have to remind myself a lot of why I am doing this!

 

[December99]

YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON M&MS MOM!!!!!! REMEMBER THAT....YOU ARE A GOOD PERSON AND YOU HELPING TO SHAPE OUR WORLD'S GIRLS!!!!!!

 

[CarolA]

OK,

Just to make you feel better. I was a Girl Scout from Brownies to Seniors.

I firmly believe that I would not be the person I am today without the experiences I had in Girl Scouting. I was a very shy kid who had a hard time making friends. I made friends, found a place I belong and had wonderful leadership opportunities in scouting. My mother was not my leader until my Senior year in high school (our leader had to resign and the members of the troop voted my mom as least offensive!)

I now serve as the council travel cooridnator, Service Unit Cookie chair and asst leader of a Brownie troop. I don't have a daughter but this is my method of repaying those women (and a few men) who were involved in my scouting.

On behalf of all the girls who you touch with your time and caring- Thank You!

 

[m&m's mom]

I totally agree with it all being worth it!
I was in GS from Daisy all the way through High School.
Our troop (34, Roswell NM, 1982) was one of the first troups to all earn the Gold Award. I am very proud of that! We had the same terrific leaders all the way through. Out of 6 of us - 2 are Dr's, one a physical therapist, one lawyer, one programmer (me), and one murderer (although I feel sure that was no one elses' fault except her own).
All GS leader out there- Keep up the good work!!

 

[BethR]

Hey Carol! Hang in there. Guess what I got to do 2 years ago? Not only am I Service Unit Manager, but I am Cluster Manager as well. I know that if I would agree to be a Cookie Mom, I would be that too.

I completely agree with you about "kicking it to council." I use my coucil product sale manager to help "clear things up" ALL of the time. The most recent thing was a Service Unit Manager called me for additional materials. I was about ready to give her directions to my home when she said that she thought that I would mail them to her. SORRY, I do NOT have a postage budget!!! Then she called a couple more times and wanted to know when I could bring the stuff to her. Sorry, I don't do THAT either. I am sure that she does not deliver all of the materials to her Cookie moms. So I called the council person to take care of things.

And I MUST say that as much aggrevation that some of this stuff is, I TOO believe that the GS program is a WONDERFUL thing and I do believe that it has greatly contributed to what my older 2 daughters are today. And I hope that the younger 2 are able to get as much out of GSing as their older sisters.

 

[Disney Doll]

Her's how the conversation should go from oyur end.

"You know, you're right. I should have rectified that situation, even though no one had told me about it. But it is my fault, since as Cookie Mom I should be all seeing and all knowing. Tell you what, your ideas are SO great and you are obviously SO much better at this than I am that next year, I am going to recommend you be the Cookie Mom! What's that??? Oh, you don't have TIME....oh...I see...your schedule FULL. Well, then perhaps your complaint would be better left unsaid. When you are VOLUNTEERING as much of your time to the organization as I am, then perhaps your complaints and observations will hold more water. Until then, you're just another mother who has a lot to say but no desire to back it up. Have a nice day."

As you can see, I have little or no tolerance for that kind of baloney. I have volunteered for too many organizations where it's the same 5 people who do the work while the other 20 people sit back and complain. When someone can "put their money where their mouth is" then I'll listen to your complaint. Otherwise, don't bother me.

 

[wdwnutze]

I was a Daisy leader a few years ago and it was more involved than it appears. It is not just a meeting with the girls weekly but also planning, council meetings, training etc. My dd is still in scouts and we just finished our cookie sale. God Bless the cookie mothers of the world! DD has an awesome leader that is very creative and really puts her heart and soul into GS. She is the reason my dd is still in the scouts in the 5th grade even though a lot of her friends have dropped out. All of you volunteers are amazing people. You are helping to mold our children and instead of complaining, people should be thanking you!

 

[December99]

Oh yeah...the thank you...as I trying to get her off the phone so I could cool down....the thank you's were flowing!!!!! I am also the Service Unit Manager for my service unit, a leader that has let her leadership qualities fall so my troop is disbanding next year, I'm the backup for the Service Unit Cookie Chair, I am the Service Unit Fall Product Chair, council delegate, and on some task groups now on the council level. Some say I'm too involved and very often I get asked, so when are you giving up scouting??? HELLO - WHEN AM I WHAT????? Those are the people I laugh at!!!

I calmed down last night and skipped calling this lady while I was making all my other calls. I will call her today later or tomorrow when I'm very calm. I have sent an email to my council product sale person and she is forever thanking me for what I do. This year she has had to arrange alot of the booth sales for the other troops in the area around the office and now sees what a job it is.....it's amazing - it is usually those that only volunteer once in a great while that complain the most - I see this at school too!!! And they are the ones that WANT to be rewarded and want to know when they will get their recognition......YIKES.

 

[CarolA]

Chris,
When I first started attending this new SU they asked me what I did for the council. It finally occured to me that some of these women think I work there for a living!

Of course, our field person has been absent due to terminal cancer in her husband so I have "represented" the council on several things (being the only person who has read Safety WIse from cover to cover numerous times!

 

[disykat]

TeeHee - doesn't it just crack you up? I've been asked at both church and school if I work there. It especially cracked me up at church - what? I can't imagine someone thinks the church pays all it's volunteers. Maybe those people just can't fathom the idea of spending that many hours volunteering.

 

[d.kurz]

I also got a lot out of Girl Scouts. I was always known as "bossy" and as a kid I considered it to be a serious flaw. I just couldn't help myself, it seemed!! Then I got into GS and they told me I had "leadership qualities" and I realized it was a GOOD thing!!

Anyhow, I try to NEVER complain about or to a volunteer unless I am willing to be part of the solution.

 

[CarolA]

D.Kruz

Nothing to do with volunteering, but I love you signature art.
I can't wait for Worlds. Have my hotel (for all but one night, changed plans and I am coming a day earlier!)

Hopefully I will see you there!

 

[kidzmom3]

Its great to see so many comments from GS volunteers. This has been my first year as a brownie mom and I also happen to be the leader. i often feel clueless, a drift in the brownie world with no clue. But this past weekend at a neighborhood event, we fit right in!! So I must be doing something right. I did have one girl not show up and her mother called me yesterday and told me that I never told her where the event would be held. I replied that I had sent a flyer home with the permission slip. Her response, and I quote " I have 2 children and they get a lot of papers, it's really difficult to keep track of everything!" My reply "I have 3 children, work full time and I am the brownie leader, I wish I could do more to help you, but I am pushed to the wall" Anyway, she was not appeased, and I started to think maybe I should have called every parent and reminded them, what is wrong with me?? I must be a glutton for punishment

 

[December99]

Don't start by calling them and reminding them - you will be glutton for punishment. One thing you might do now that this lady said she didn't get her stuff is mail it to her directly instead of sending it through her daughter or hand it to her when she picks her daughter up from your meetings. Glad that you fit in - if you ever feel like you are in brownie doomdom or don't know what they are talking about, please don't be afraid to ask what is going on - and I'm always willing to help if I can so feel free to PM me!!!

I have a girl that the parents are separated and the girl is a flake - I'm serious - and her dad use to always call me wondering where the information was that was sent home or was expected to be sent home. And it did get to his daughter, just never made it to him (he made sure she got things signed up for, etc.) so I ended up having to either email the info to him or mailing it and I just tacked a little bit of money for postage on to her dues and he was more than happy to have that done.

 

[wdwnutze]

In my dd's jr troop, they have a phone system worked out where the leaders call 4-5 girls and remind them of an upcoming event (ie: "meet in the church parking lot at 3:30 for our trip."). These 4-5 girls then each have a list of girls in the troop to call and pass on the information to. This works great if a meeting is ever changed or cancelled and just to remind the girls if there is something special they need to do. The 2 leaders like it because they only have to each call 2 girls and the whole troop gets notified.