Volunteer Spotlight: Community Connections Committee
By Randi Orth, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator
In this month’s Volunteer Spotlight we’re highlighting the stellar volunteers who join us, behind the scenes, as members of the Community Connections Committee.
The Community Connections Committee puts the fun in FUNdraising. They help us in all of our grassroots fundraising efforts – from organizing bake sales to overhauling our business supporter program to captaining trivia teams to making thank you calls. In short, these folks help us dream up new ways to inspire gifts and appreciate our incredible supporters. The every-other-month meetings are raucous and fun and members often stay after to catch up with each other and brainstorm over the last of the chips and salsa.
The Community Connections Committee is comprised of staff members (Alison, Breesa, Patrick, and Noel) and volunteers. The volunteers are: Jim Coon (board member and attorney with Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton), Dave Williams (Nutcase Helmets customer service and trade show dude), Jenn Pratt (board member and public health genius), Helen McConnell (purpose coach), Jenn Dederich (boss-lady at Portland Pedal Power), and Lynnette Anderson (manager at Nutcase Helmets).
Jim volunteers because he believes that “getting folks on bikes is one way toward social and environmental justice.” Jenn D adds that her favorite part of the committee work is “helping create partnerships with companies in Portland that will allow us to increase services and expand ridership in diverse communities.”
Each committee member brings their own special expertise to each meeting and project and for that we are eternally grateful. For example: Jenn D is a business guru, so she focuses on reaching out to corporate supporters; Lynnette’s a designer, so she makes sure our printed materials look great; and Helen is an excellent event manager, so she helps plan and run our fundraising events. Our Community Connections Committee is the real deal and we can’t thank them enough for their hard work all year long.
Our fundraising is successful because so many people contribute their time, experience, and dollars and the Community Connections Committee is integral to keeping our programs strong (and funded!). If you are interested in volunteering on this or other committees, please contact Randi@CommunityCyclingCenter.org.