Value Of Volunteers

By Melinda Rizzo

Do you lend a helping hand?
 
From clay shoot to Foodie, golf outing to mixers, the UBCC Board of Directors to committees and events, volunteers are there.
 
It might surprise you that across Pennsylvania 28 percent of us volunteer, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry website.
 
That translates to a staggering 338 million – that’s millions of hours of donated time, with an estimated value of $7.7 billion in services donated throughout Pennsylvania.
 
“Volunteering with UBCC not only helps our chamber grow, but also gives you valuable access to the business community around you,” said Corey Armideo, a partner at PBR Productions in Perkasie.
 
Armideo volunteers on UBCC’s membership committee, which meets monthly to discuss member outreach and engagement, new member initiatives and recruiting.
 
Volunteers meet to discuss how local governance – from borough councils and township supervisors to county commissions and state representatives, help or bootstrap the business community – and what can be done to grow our economy.
 
Our members know about roads and infrastructure, because they use them to deliver goods and services – so who’s better suited to provide transportation insight?
 
When members volunteer their time, thoughts and concerns about transportation and logistics throughout the region, it can only make distribution better.
 
When they speak up about talent shortages and how to guide young people into good paying jobs, workforce development becomes significantly more meaningful – and making the connection to schools, college and universities creates opens easy communication channels.
 
Our business members provide opportunities to meet and network, through regular chamber mixers. They open their business homes and offer refreshment – and yes, that’s a form of volunteering, too.
 
“Volunteering with the UBCC is an important part of Comcast Spotlight’s membership because it allows me to meet and introduce myself to local businesses…,” said Pam Sawyer. She’s senior account executive for Comcast Spotlight, and a membership committee member.

Sawyer said she’s able to meet new people easier, because of Chamber mixers her committee work and the opportunities volunteering provide.
 
“It is also very satisfying, personally, to know that the time spent volunteering has helped with the goals and the growth of the UBCC,” Sawyer said.
 
When members head to central Pennsylvania to volunteer as mentors during Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week summer camps, they’re volunteering their time, their talent and something they treasure most: sharing their professional experiences to help the next crop of business leaders.

Volunteer hours are the mainstay of our organization and any amount of time, talent or treasure truly makes a difference.
 
Armideo said volunteering with the chamber tells other members you care about helping your community.
 
Bruce Kinsey, of Bruce P. Kinsey Photography in Telford volunteers both time and talent: he’s a membership committee member, and he takes photos of events, ribbon cuttings and mixers for UBCC.
 
“It [volunteering] gives you the opportunity to be engaged, be informed, and be the difference,” Kinsey said.
 
For more information about how you can help and make a difference in Upper Bucks, call the UBCC at 215.536.3211.