By Mary Torres, Special to the Star
April is National Volunteer Month, when we celebrate the work that volunteers do year-round on behalf of others without being motivated by financial gain. National Volunteer Week, celebrated April 18-24, 2021, debuted in the United States in 1974 to recognize and thank volunteers who lend their time, talent, voices, and support to causes they care about.
In our local communities, many citizens volunteer their time to serve on governmental and non-profit boards, in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, churches, animal shelters, nature and conservation groups, youth groups, and countless other organizations. Other individuals perform “random acts of kindness.” Some groups, who through the efforts of their volunteers, are helping to preserve Harlingen’s history are: The Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum Advisory Board, the Rio Grande Valley Museum Association Board, the Tip O’ Texas Genealogical Society, the Harlingen Public Library Advisory Board, the Harlingen Downtown Development Board, and the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society.
Volunteers are the heart and backbone of an organization and without the time and passion they dedicate to the causes they care about, many nonprofits would not survive. Prior to 2020, National Volunteer Week and Month were a great opportunity to get all of your volunteers together and launch efforts to recruit new ones. In 2021, celebrating National Volunteer Week and Month will be different since we must continue to adhere to safety measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Although Volunteer Week celebrations recognizing the many volunteers in our community may have been postponed, we can still recognize our volunteers for their dedicated service and let them know that they are truly missed. One way to recognize your volunteers is by tracking volunteer hours throughout the year and recognize the volunteer who gave the most time or accomplished a particular task or activity by sending them a digital or snail mail gift card to a local restaurant or other business.
If your organization hasn’t done so yet, consider creating online volunteering opportunities. Think of things that can be done from home such as designing templates, flyers, or social media graphics; making phone calls to check-in with the people you serve; organizing digital files; drafting, editing, and/or proofing documents; launching a fundraising campaign for your organization, and helping with research.
When you create online volunteering opportunities, you’re opening the door to many more potential volunteers, like people who don’t live nearby, disabled people, and people with busy schedules. Going virtual is a benefit that will outlast this year’s special circumstances. Do you have a special talent or skill that may benefit a charity or organization? Offer your services or ask how you can be of help.
The Tip O’ Texas Genealogical Society and the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society have both been impacted by the Pandemic and they have been missed. The Tip O’ Texas Genealogical Society will resume meetings and programs at the Harlingen Public Library as soon as its meeting rooms are open to the public and a virtual meeting may also be in the works.
The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society will resume its meetings at the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum, 2425 Boxwood St. later this spring. The society will also be hosting the 41st Annual State Hispanic Genealogical and Historical Conference to be held October 14-16, 2021 at the Hilton Garden Inn, South Padre Island, TX.
The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Genealogical Society’s board will be at the museum today and you’re invited to drop by to visit with the officers and other board members. You’ll also have the opportunity to renew your 2021 membership or join the society and receive a copy of the society’s latest Journal! Dues are $35.00 for the calendar year. The museum is observing all safety precautions, so please wear your mask. For more information call 956-345-4756.
Happy National Volunteer Month!
