Unpaid Hours

Including the recent meeting on Sunday, over the last two days I've spent between 15 and 16 hours on HOBY volunteer work.  Particularly for October, so early in the season, that's a fairly large chunk of time.

These are the moments that at the end of the year I have to remind myself sometimes that people thank me for.  That when they say their thank yous, I can be humble, and be sure my team gets praised as well, but the pat on the back is not a bad thing:  I have worked hard, even when others' projects had not necessarily yet begun, and people want to make sure that you know that work doesn't go unappreciated.

Most of my work these few days was meeting follow up:  writing the committee minutes, sending emails, etc.  But the largest part was organizing our new recruitment drive.  This year, we're asking every high school age alumnus who wants to be on Team Alumni to take on the challenge of helping us recruit.  For each person, they're only being asked five schools, but that can go a long way.  Already, about 20 have taken on the challenge, meaning that's 100 schools that will be called by alumni and encouraged to attend.  To put that in perspective, there are 364 potential schools or programs within the state of Maryland.  Our recruitment goal is 201, and last year we got 180.  Having the alumni contribute for the first time this year will be a big boost for us as I have not had any luck getting someone to take on the task of recruitment director.  It's meant the rest of us have had to split up that task.  But 100 is no small number and certainly nothing to scoff at.  It will have an enormous impact on our efforts if those alumni are successful.

My job as Seminar Chair is to direct others:  that's what the recruitment challenge is all about.   I direct the resources, push them in the right direction, and help the task get to goal.  But, it's the moments like this that I try to remember to also be a role model.  That I cannot ask my team to do what I am not willing to do myself.  That literally thousands of unpaid volunteer hours will be put in by my team and I this year towards accomplishing our task.  We will try to give everyone a "pat on the back," a thank you, and of course, a HOBY Hug.  It's a small token of thanks for all those hours.  But in the end, in order to get there, we must motivate and inspire them, so that the literal hours put in themselves feel like their own intrinsic reward.


I am frequently asked why I do HOBY.  My answer is always the same:  I'm trying to give back to HOBY what it gave to me those years ago when I was an ambassador in 1996.

I learned something a long time ago though:  I already gave that part back.  The "problem" now is that every time I give, HOBY in its intrinsic reward gives a little bit more back to me than I can give to it.  At this rate, I will never catch up.