Volunteerism

I volunteered for Tulsa Habitat for Humanity a few weeks ago.  After learning that they had plenty of folks for the builds, and that they really needed help in the office, I offered myself up for data entry duty.

Each week, I spend a day typing in all the hours the volunteers spend on each project, any new volunteer's information, and other administrative information that is tracked in a database.  One of the items that is tracked is what group sponsors each individual who signs up.  There are lots of churches and corporations that sponsor builds.  These organizations want reports back on which of their employees show up and for how long.  The database allows all that information to be readily available.  There is a release form each volunteer has to sign for legal purposes.  One of my jobs is to enter these releases into the database.

Imagine my surprise when under 'Sponsor', one individual put in "DUI court"... Really?  The court is sponsoring his hours?

Apparently, THFH is that it is a place where offenders can work off their community service hours.  There are quite a few of them each week that work in the Re-Store to pay their debt to society.  It got me thinking.  What other things do community service folks do?  I guess all I really picture is the offenders walking down the side of the road picking up trash.  There must be a lot of places that they can work off their community service hours.

I wonder if there is a hierarchy of ones that are more interesting or fun than others?  I wonder if the drunks are fighting to get work at the Re-Store so they don't have to schlep along the highway picking up trash?  I also wonder if 'forced' volunteerism is a successful way to staff needed positions?  I imagine that THFH would rather have a volunteer who wants to be there doing tasks at the Re-Store.  But like other non-profits, times are tough and you've got to take the help where you can get it.

They're putting up with me, so they can't be too picky.

--Sandee Wagner