UBCC Blog: Committees Matter

​BY MELINDA RIZZO

Volunteering makes you feel good!!

There’s science behind it. Doing something for someone else triggers oxytocin,  the ‘feel good’ chemical in the brain essential to bonding and dopamine, the ‘motivational’ brain chemical that gives us that ‘get up and go’ feeling.

Did you know UBCC relies on its volunteers to further its mission of support to the business community we serve?

Without them, we would not have the Foodie. Or our annual Golf Classic in June and fall Clay Shoot outings. Our networking events wouldn’t be possible without businesses willing to host members for mix and mingle evenings.

“Member volunteers are critical to service – they are ambassadors who offer face-to-face networking,” said Joseph G. “Joe” Wingert, UBCC board president and publisher of Bucks County Herald.

Real time interactions – and those ‘feel good’ feelings are “…something the Internet cannot duplicate,” Wingert added.
Who doesn’t want to join a group that’s doing great work?

Members, whether they volunteer or not for a specific committee like Membership or Government Affairs and Public Policy can still be active by sharing the word about the UBCC to others.

Share the good work, too UBCC does during your lunch break, at business meetings or with colleagues around the office and around town.

Invite a future member – someone you’d love to see involved, to the next chamber mixer, the first time is on the house.

“UBCC committee members are our chamber champions!  They serve…as our enthusiastic leaders who assist the chamber in the mission and vision for the Upper Bucks region,” said Danielle Bodnar, UBCC executive director.

Committees like Membership meet monthly. 

Others are seasonal, like Foodie, Golf and Clay Shoot.

“The volunteers on the Foodie Committee work hard to make the event not only successful but fun. Without the volunteers we could not hold the event,” said Leanna Knight, vice president at Warren Weiss Agency.

She said the committee’s diverse make-up brings essentials skills to the table to make the Foodie Upper Bucks County’s premiere food and drink tasting event.

What’s more, Foodie proceeds benefit Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW), a summer entrepreneurial camp for high school juniors and seniors.

That’s something to feel really good about.

“I love PFEW’s approach to giving them experience on what running a business is really like.  The Foodie helps send local kids to get the experience,” Knight said.

Bodnar said chamber volunteering causes a ripple effect of goodwill that’s hard to replicate any other way.

“Our members are thinkers and doers, out in the business community. They’re helping the chamber make the connections or ‘bridges’ so vital to the supportive and positive business climate here,” Bodnar said.

For those of us who have received so very much, giving back is the right thing to do.

“As a community member and a parent I think it is important, to not only give back, but show my kids the importance of giving back,” Knight said.

For more information on UBCC Committees email [email protected] or call the office at 215.536.3211.