Hurry Up, and Wait

Any alumnus of HOBY Team Alumni could tell you our operations motto:  "Hurry up, and wait."  It's funny how true that is as the calendar year renews that feeling.  From the quiet and lack of activity of December, January is now back at us in full swing.  The expression speaks to how as a Team Alumni you often are faced with about a dozen things that all need to be done at once intermixed with periods of relative quiet and relaxation.

This past weekend we had our Winter Alumni reunion.  A group of alumni gathered in Phoenix, MD to meet for some social time and to spend some time with a major disabilities advocate, Dave Ward.  Mr. Ward has a high spinal cord injury, that he's lived with for 35 years, and yet still works tirelessly on behalf of those with disabilities.  His talk with us was inspirational and motivating.

By today, Team Alumni applications are to be in the mail.  I'm always amused at the bit of procrastination that I know goes into these.  So many ambassadors from last year tell me they want to be on TA, and then the actual application time comes and they wait to the last minute.  If nothing else, I find it's a good exercise in prioritization as these same young people will be applying to colleges soon enough and they'll need this experience of managing their deadlines.

On a more personal note, Thursday I'll be travelling to Dallas, TX to meet in person with the Strategic Planning Committee.  The SPC will be reporting in the work of our various sub-committees and hopefully hashing out the details of the actual strategic plan.  There are tons of good ideas coming in from the field and from our volunteers and alumni, and I see good things in our future.  At very least, I have been pleased with the receptiveness by International to the improvements my subcommittee and I have been suggesting, and as my subcommittee is technology, we have been able to already start putting many of these ideas into action.  Progress is not always immediate, but it does happen.

Then, in but a short two weeks, the Maryland Seminar Committee will be meeting once again to discuss where we are in planning for the May seminar.  Details will come to light with program, arranged speakers, and areas where we still need help.

And then, in perhaps what has been the most exciting big piece of news this year, we have recently come to agreement with Mount St. Mary's University for our increased partnership.  While I'll continue to play coy and not speak to specifics until I reveal them to the committee, let me just say the Mount is definitely doing plenty within its power to show it's full support of the HOBY program.  Between campus resources, facilities, and general institutional support, The Mount is certainly trying to make us feel more welcome and part of campus. I'm excited for what the year will bring.

Like I said, "Hurry up and wait."   May will be here before we know it.

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Silent Nights

I don't know exactly how many people follow this blog regularly, but for anyone who does, it may have occured to you that I haven't posted exactly recently.  As we are in the midst of that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it might be simple to assume that I was busy with the typical holiday rush.  However, without trying to sound Scrooge-ish or defensive, for those who don't know, I'm actually Jewish.  For me, this has always meant that while I don't oppose gift giving at this or any time of the year, it's just never been a big part of my life.  I don't find myself ever going out of my way to find gifts for everyone I know.  I simply try and show I appreciate them all throughout the year, and not necessarily with a gift on the holidays.

But I say all this as to point out that in fact, I'm not as busy as one might imagine, and that should mean I could be busy with HOBY stuff.  However, that's just it -- right now, there isn't much "new."  Recruitment is continuing now that we are past the recruitment deadline, although it definitely slows down.  Team Alumni applications are coming in, and alumni are still assisting with recruitment.  Facilitation and program teams are getting their respective efforts moving.  But all in all, right now in Maryland seems to be more about staying on the path than pushing forward.

In one sense, while everyone needs a break, for HOBY Maryland, this actually disappoints me.  It is a reflection in my mind of where we still need to grow as an organization.  Why do we not have more alumni service activities at this time of year?  Why are we still working on recruitment when other sites may already be at 90 if not 100%?  Why must I find myself still bogged down in existing tasks instead of moving forward onto new ones?

All of these are reflections on the relative weaknesses of our volunteer network.  While I call these people my friends, and I know their good intentions, they like all individuals can get easily spread to thin by life's various commitments.   None of us can do it all, and often HOBY is something that gets put on the back burner for most individuals.

In our organization, finding adult volunteers can be one of our greatest struggles.  Finding those who can give the time for a 3 1/2 day event is only the first challenge.  Trying to get them to make the larger commitments that are slow, year-long journeys is much greater.  We appreciate, and try to take advantage of every offer we get, but ultimately, we still rely on the generosity of others with their time.  Maryland is not alone in this; I even see it frequently amongst committed volunteers I know from other states.  However, ultimately, it is times like now that it impacts us.  It impacts us in the additional programming we don't necessarily get to, and the opportunities that get passed.

It is not to be pessimistic, but it is to be realistic.  Such are the challenges we face if we are to grow, strengthen, and improve as an organization, for there is always room for improvement.

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