PERSPECTIVE l Time, Talent, Treasure, Testimony – The Ideal Attributes of a Volunteer Board Member

by Peter F. Eder More than five hundred not-for-profit boards are operational in Connecticut.  Over the past century, not-for-profit organizations have played a vital and often times critical role in delivering services and support to folks in need.

A considerable body of knowledge – case histories, seminars, publications, expert presentations – and individuals and organizations expert in the field help create, sustain, enhance and measure such organizations performances.

As a volunteer Board member of several organizations over the past three decades, I would like to reflect on what I perceive provides the most effective volunteer support of a not-for-profit organization.  There are four attributes … time, talent, treasure, testimony.

Time

Volunteers must be able to make a firm commitment of time to Board service.  Ideally over the course of a three year period, they should invest enough time to first understand the organization’s mission and objectives, the community environment, the social, political, economic issues.  There should be a time commitment not only to “do things” (activities assigned by the Director and the Board), but also to learn and reflect on the Board’s plans, its actions and consequences.

Talent

Volunteers should have an array of skills that can be used to supplement and enhance the organizations objectives.  Expertize should be employed to train and mentor others, to tackle special issues or to improve ongoing practices.  A mix of talent should be recruited, including individuals from the community or cause being served.  This is particularly important since it will provide very real and current insights into needs, attitudes and available resources in the community being served.

Talent should not necessarily be used as a way to replace operational tasks on a day-to-day business, or to second guess or override any paid staff members.  Rather, talent should be used to enhance and enrich efforts.

Treasure

Volunteer board members should be a source of financial support and provide a revenue base for the organization.  This is to set an example of commitment both within the Board and the community, to underwrite special events or needs, to cover revenue gaps and to provide a source for covering emergencies.  Those volunteers who are capable of sizeable donations, should be willing to reach out and solicit potentially generous family and friends to do likewise.

Testimony

Volunteers should be able to speak and write with conviction, passion and knowledge about the mission and the objectives of the organization.  It should be done on a daily basis in the community, on public and private platforms.  This should be done face-to-face, online in the form of message boards, perhaps Facebook, tweets or twitters, community TV stations, newspapers or online daily newspapers.  A volunteer, speaking with certainty and compassion can animate the cause.  In these days of media fragmentation and multiplication, spreading the word is vital.

Conclusion

It is the rare individual volunteer who will possess all four of these attributes.  Typically, human nature will provide some with several of these assets or perhaps just one of them.  In the identification and recruitment of volunteer board members, the need for these traits should be decided on and spoken about with the candidates, so that there is a clear understanding and comfort level about the expected responsibilities.

The nominating committee and the organization’s leader should be upfront and explicit about the expectations, and also about the rewards that will accrue to the volunteer.  Because we know of course, that one of the truly great rewards of volunteering is that it gives back more to the volunteer, than that individual will ever initially envision.

Peter F. Eder is a retired marketing executive, AARP Connecticut community volunteer and a founding member of At Home In Darien, his community aging-in-place organization.

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

PERSPECTIVE l Put Aside the Shallowness, Hollowness of Self

by M. Jodi Rell A few words as we send you on your way to the rest of your life. A list of do's and don'ts, if you will.

Do continue your learning. Get an advanced degree. It's almost mandatory these days. Take a couple of years off if you need to, but go back and get a master’s degree or higher. Do it not just for a better job but for a better mind.

Whether you go back or not, keep learning. Keep asking questions. Keep finding out why. Demand to know why not. Expand your experiences and your minds. Let intellectual curiosity be your constant companion.

Do keep every door open to yourselves. Never say never. Always try something new — a new idea, a new place, new travel, new friends, new opportunities. This girl from Norfolk, Virginia, never would have guessed she would be the governor of Connecticut one day. But I left every door open — and look where it led me.

Don't let fear guide you. Don't let failure stop you.

This is your moment. Take it. Own it. Master it. Make the most of it.

Trust me, you really can change the world. And we need you to change it, because our world is changing in so many ways, and at WARP speed.

Our economy, the job market, technology, education, health care — all are evolving, advancing every day.

Frankly the pace of change is breathtaking. Yes, breathtaking and challenging. But nobody is better prepared, better equipped to rise to the challenge.

Do remember to always treat those around you with respect, compassion and kindness. Don't let the size of your paycheck be the measure of your success. Rather let it be how well you treat others and what kind of difference you make.

Do remember to say thank you. And you can start today by thanking your parents, your advisers, your professors — all those who helped you to get to this day.

Do work hard. Play hard. And love harder.

It's not just about a job or a job title. Yes a good, satisfying, rewarding job is important. But far, far more important is grabbing and enjoying life and building a family whom you love and who loves you.

Participate in your community. Volunteer. Contribute. Put aside the shallowness, hollowness of self. Embrace and elevate others.

Think about the person you love the most. Admire the most. Think about why. And then do. Do as they do.

Oh, I envy each one of you. You are on the precipice of a whole new beginning. The canvas of your life is mostly blank, waiting now for you to fill it in with flourish and flair. With broad strokes and fine lines. With love and laughter.

This is your moment. Take it. Own it. Master it. Make the most of it. You are the sons and daughters of Connecticut. We are all so proud of you.

M. Jodi Rell of Brookfield was Governor of Connecticut, 2004-2011, after serving as Lieutenant Governor and State Representative. These remarks are excerpted from the commencement address delivered to undergraduates at Western Connecticut State University on May 10, 2015.

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

PERSPECTIVE l Inclusion … Every Senior’s Wish

by Peter F. Eder The body of demographic and sociographic data that is emerging on seniors needs and satisfactions is fueling and underscoring the growth of aging-in-place organizations (organizations dedicated to helping seniors remain in their homes as they age).  Today there are more than 140 of them in forty states and another 120 under consideration or in development.

Nationwide surveys reveal that more than 90% of those sixty years of age or older want to remain in their own homes and communities as they age.  When asked what supports they need, transportation is most frequently mentioned.  This is followed by assistance with daily chores (shopping, home repairs, untangling medical information, etc.); the need for a reliable source of vetted services providers; and exposure to community activities, both public and private.

Overall, they desire inclusion – not exclusivity – in their communities.  Seniors don't want special attention called to themselves as individuals requiring privileges or advantages.  They want to continue “normal” living in the places they call “home.”

Modern times are creating real hurdles to satisfying this simple desire. In an American age characterized by increasing exclusivity fostered by social media, economic inequality and a shrinking “common wealth”, seniors desires for inclusion and the avoidance of  age stigma face major challenges.

Let’s take the social media aspect as one example. The seemingly endless accelerating pace of change finds its greatest reflection on the internet and its communications and social media dimensions.  Nodes and clusters of like-minded people feed off themselves and create virtual gated communities.  It allows and encourages individual’s self-aggrandizement.  Visitors are often disparaged or turned away.  Outsiders are often the subject of cruel humor and vilification.  Old ageism is often a target of undefended or unanswered ridicule.

While seniors are increasing their on-line usage, they tend to use it for more inclusionary purposes – namely to gather information and to participate in neighborhood and local events that make their lives easier and more pleasurable.

It is in this climate of increasing exclusivity that the expanding population of seniors face an increasing struggle to ensure their inclusion in their communities.  Acting collectively through aging-in-place organizations is proving to be a valuable and viable strategy.

On behalf of seniors I would like to suggest a series of small and quickly implementable steps that can be effected through active aging-in-place groups.

Aging-in place organizations should be structured to be available to all seniors in the community, without any income requirements or wealth qualifiers or verifications, and not considering segments of age, condition of health or physical ability.  Any qualifications beyond simply reaching an age level fosters the feeling of exclusivity.

Existing public and private (for-profit and not-for-profit) organizations should be encouraged to include seniors in a normal fashion in all their ongoing activities.  Not just public senior centers, or established long-term care institutions or neighborhood hospitals or health practices, but libraries, schools at every level (elementary through college), fraternal, sports and arts organizations, clergy councils should foster inclusion of all seniors. Regular and ongoing activities should be made more convenient and cost efficient for the total senior population.

Those individuals and organizations that determine and set public policy must be made aware of the positive impact of curtailing the diminishment of the common wealth, and ensure that seniors will have access to services, in easy and normal forms of integration, without financial burdens or penalties.

In closing, it should be recognized that including seniors in the full spectrum of a community's daily life has substantial benefits for the total community.  To mention just a few:  a sense of historical relevance through the shared wisdom of oldest to youngest generations; a source of stable tax and property value  revenue; cohesion in family structure; enriching lives through teaching; care giving and support to working parents or single parent households.

Senior inclusion will pay dividends to all aspects of society.

Peter F. Eder is a retired marketing executive, an active AARP Connecticut community volunteer, and a founding Board member of At Home in Darien, his community’s aging-in-place organization.

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

PERSPECTIVE l When Nonprofits Stories Earn Your Attention

by Mary Cahalane What does your attention cost?

In today’s world, our attention – our mind-space – has become commodified. Ads at the checkout line, logos in every possible space – they’re filling our eyes and ears and demanding our attention. And all for some company’s profit.

I read, nodding. I understand the value of quiet (or focus… I do work with music on). The best thinking only happens when we have our brains to ourselves. It’s precious today.

What about nonprofit organizations? Are we part of the problem? We ask for people’s attention every day.

But we use our powers for good, not evil, right?

If we stopped sending letters and emails, the void would be filled with more commercial appeals. And it’s not about who shouts loudest, though out-shouting the competition might be part of it. (That lovely woman won’t give to you if she doesn’t know you exist.)

Human attention spans are now shorter than a goldfish’s. So what’s the key to being seen and heard in our cacophonous world? How do we attract a donor or prospective donor’s attention long enough to get a response that will help support our cause?

An article in the New York Times suggested the answer to our disappearing attention spans is to be quick about it. Match your speed to the span. Say what you have to say - quickly.

But longer fundraising appeal letters generally get a better response than shorter letters. So short and fast is not always the right answer.

In my view, at least part of the answer is focus and intent. A sure-fire way to be seen as charming is to shut your mouth, open your ears and pay attention to the other person.

Most nonprofit organizations probably communicate too little, not too much. But we have to earn the attention we need to succeed. What we say to our donors has to be relevant – to their lives, not just to our needs and our schedules.

Are we writing about ourselves, our organizations? Or are we writing about the donor - her interest in the cause, her desire to help, her need to hear she can have an impact? If we’re going to ask for a person’s precious attention, we’d better be ready to make it worthwhile. That means making it all about them.

Another answer to short attention spans might be stories.

We’re wired for stories. From the earliest days of our species, we gathered around a fire and connected with one another by sharing stories. Diving into a story means I can put down the phone, turn off the computer and completely lose myself for a while.

Stories are powerful fundraising, too. We’re primed to enjoy them. They cut through the clutter. A great story can quiet our minds and reach our hearts. And that’s really what we hope for, isn’t it?

If you want to be noticed and want your organization to win support, use stories. Make sure your donor is the hero of the story – and leave her hanging a bit. The end of the story is up to her. Will she come to the rescue?

Mary Cahalane is a nonprofit fundraising consultant, and author of the blog Hands-On Fundraising.  She has more than 30 years of experience with community-based organizations, major regional theaters and a variety of nonprofit organizations in Connecticut and beyond. 

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

PERSPECTIVE l First Amendment makes U.S. unique, and poses unique challenges

by Paul Steinmetz For several years I attended every home football game at Western Connecticut State University so that I could network with faculty, donors and other friends. The president’s box, where I did my thing, was adjacent to the press box, where student journalists and coaches sat. One day, immediately following an egregious referee decision on the field, someone in the press box shouted an epithet-laced retort, which everyone next door heard. We all paused. One member of our audience, a law professor, pronounced judgment: “Vulgar and ill-considered, but constitutionally protected!”

At the risk of sounding ponderous, the First Amendment creates a lot of situations like this, although they often pose tensions that are much more treacherous.

Here are three recent examples where protected free speech has made people uncomfortable, angry, and even murderous.

• In Garland, Texas, the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest displayed drawings of the Prophet Muhammad, an act that is consider blasphemy by Muslims. Two gun-carrying men planned to attack people in the exhibit hall but were killed by police.
• At Valdosta State University in Georgia, students walked on the U.S. flag as a protest of the country’s slaveholding history. A military veteran removed the flag from the ground and resisted campus police officers, who intervened to return the flag to the protestors. View a dramatic video of the confrontation here.
• The Association of Writers and Writing Programs, which represents more than 500 campus-based writing projects and thousands of writers, removed a poet from a committee planning the association’s 2016 annual meeting because some members object to her current project on Twitter, where she is posting, one line at a time, the text of the novel “Gone With the Wind.” They object to the novel’s tolerance of racism.

These freedom of speech situations present plenty for observers of all political persuasions to be aghast about.

The First Amendment for the most part protects writers and political speakers – and all of us -- from government censure and intrusion. Without it, American democracy would not be what it is today. But it poses challenges to normal people who love the Constitution but who also think that not everything needs to be said. And people who will argue for the protection of one set of statements often find that personal political beliefs get in the way of their general support for freedom of speech.

For instance, the same people who are sensitive to religious beliefs that are different than their own and who question the point of printing drawings of Muhammad wouldn’t question the U.S. flag as a valid, and Constitutionally protected, target for political protest.

These are the kinds of debates that form on the fringe of the First Amendment. Some of it is very difficult, and uniquely American.

What do you think?

Paul Steinmetz, a former editor of the Danbury News-Times, is the director of Community Relations and Public Affairs for Western Connecticut State University and the principal of Writing Associates, providing publicity and writing services for businesses, institutions and individuals.

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

The Comfort of Opinion Without the Discomfort of Thought

by John F. Kennedy …The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.

Mythology distracts us everywhere—in government as in business, in politics as in economics, in foreign affairs as in domestic affairs… In recent months many have come to feel, as I do, that the dialog between the parties—between business and government, between the government and the public—is clogged by illusion and platitude and fails to reflect the true realities of contemporary American society…

There are three great areas of our domestic affairs in which, today, there is a danger that illusion may prevent effective action. They are, first, the question of the size and the shape of government's responsibilities; second, the question of public fiscal policy; and third, the matter of confidence, business confidence or public confidence, or simply confidence in America. I want to talk about all three, and I want to talk about them carefully and dispassionately—and I emphasize that I am concerned here not with political debate but with finding ways to separate false problems from real ones.

If a contest in angry argument were forced upon it, no administration could shrink from response, and history does not suggest that American Presidents are totally without resources in an engagement forced upon them because of hostility in one sector of society. But in the wider national interest, we need not partisan wrangling but common concentration on common problems. I come here to this distinguished university to ask you to join in this great task.

Let us take first the question of the size and shape of government. The myth here is that government is big, and bad—and steadily getting bigger and worse. Obviously this myth has some excuse for existence. It is true that in recent history each new administration has spent much more money than its predecessor. Thus President Roosevelt outspent President Hoover, and with allowances for the special case of the Second World War, President Truman outspent President Roosevelt. Just to prove that this was not a partisan matter, President Eisenhower then outspent President Truman by the handsome figure of $182 billion. It is even possible, some think, that this trend may continue…

The truth about big government is the truth about any other great activity—it is complex. Certainly it is true that size brings dangers—but it is also true that size can bring benefits… Few people realize that in 1961, in support of all university research in science and medicine, three dollars out of every four came from the Federal Government… Generalities in regard to federal expenditures, therefore, can be misleading—each case, science, urban renewal, education, agriculture, natural resources, each case must be determined on its merits if we are to profit from our unrivaled ability to combine the strength of public and private purpose…

Finally, I come to the problem of confidence. Confidence is a matter of myth and also a matter of truth—and this time let me take the truth of the matter first.

It is true—and of high importance—that the prosperity of this country depends on the assurance that all major elements within it will live up to their responsibilities. If business were to neglect its obligations to the public, if labor were blind to all public responsibility, above all, if government were to abandon its obvious—and statutory—duty of watchful concern for our economic health-if any of these things should happen, then confidence might well be weakened and the danger of stagnation would increase. This is the true issue of confidence.

But there is also the false issue—and its simplest form is the assertion that any and all unfavorable turns of the speculative wheel—however temporary and however plainly speculative in character—are the result of, and I quote, "a lack of confidence in the national administration." This I must tell you, while comforting, is not wholly true. Worse, it obscures the reality—which is also simple. The solid ground of mutual confidence is the necessary partnership of government with all of the sectors of our society in the steady quest for economic progress…

The stereotypes I have been discussing distract our attention and divide our effort. These stereotypes do our Nation a disservice, not just because they are exhausted and irrelevant, but above all because they are misleading—because they stand in the way of the solution of hard and complicated facts…the unfortunate fact of the matter is that our rhetoric has not kept pace with the speed of social and economic change. Our political debates, our public discourse—on current domestic and economic issues—too often bear little or no relation to the actual problems the United States faces.

What is at stake in our economic decisions today is not some grand warfare of rival ideologies which will sweep the country with passion but the practical management of a modern economy… we require not some automatic response but hard thought…let us not engage in the wrong argument at the wrong time…while the real problems of our own time grow and multiply, fertilized by our neglect.

You are part of the world and you must participate in these days of our years in the solution of the problems that pour upon us, requiring the most sophisticated and technical judgment; and as we work in consonance to meet the authentic problems of our times, we will generate a vision and an energy which will demonstrate anew to the world the superior vitality and the strength of the free society.

President John F. Kennedy delivered the Commencement Address at Yale University on June 11, 1962, from which this is excerpted.  The text of the full address, and an audio recording, is at http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3370   

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

PERSPECTIVE l Partnering Far to Benefit Near

by John Simone Only a couple of weeks after the Connecticut Main Street Center’s (CMSC) workshop last month on Building Lasting DownTOWN/GOWN Partnerships, our friends and colleagues at the Connecticut Economic Development Association,  a not-for-profit membership organization committed to advancing economic development, hosted an event at Middlesex Community College (MXCC) on how community colleges are leveraging resources to meet community workforce needs.

While this topic was touched on at the CMSC workshop, with Enfield’s Assistant Town Planner Courtney Hendricson and Asnuntuck Community College President James Lombella describing how they’re partnering to meet the town’s needs, the CEDAS event delved more deeply into emerging workforce trends in Connecticut, namely the expected growth in media-based jobs and a looming shortage of skilled manufacturing workers.

According to MXCC’s Center for New Media, Connecticut can expect an 11.7 percent job growth in all media categories – arts, sports and media, and entertainment through 2020 (the national average is 4.3 percent). And according to Marjorie Valentin, Associate Dean of Three Rivers Community College, without training there will be a critical skills gap of new and existing manufacturing employees, as an aging skilled workforce leaves the field and a stigma of the profession remains, leaving a shortage of skilled workers that threatens the future of manufacturing in Southeastern Connecticut.

In response, these and several other community colleges are partnering directly with manufacturers like Electric Boat, who offer input into the curriculum to ensure graduating students have the skills necessary to perform. And MXCC recently opened a beautiful, state-of-the-art Center for New Media, complete with high-tech classrooms, a high-definition studio, a video control room, green room, audio production studio, and a radio station.

While it was impressive to see and hear how much our community colleges have to offer today’s students, truly preparing them to succeed in a competitive workforce, what really struck me was our need to think beyond just our downtown borders when building strategic partnerships.

While we should absolutely strive to create fruitful relationships between our main street organizations and local anchor institutions, we also need to keep in mind that as a state, our successes and failures are often shared. So while Windsor may not have a community college within its borders, it may have high school students and a manufacturer who could benefit from a training program offered in Norwich. Meanwhile, a student can benefit from learning medical animation in Middletown, working at a downtown Hartford hospital during the day, before going home to Portland at night.

Offering attractive, inviting downtowns and Main Streets with a variety of housing, businesses and resources accommodates a population that is fluid not just over the course of a lifespan, but often over the course of a day!

By being mindful that a wider, regional or even state-wide partnership can benefit our towns and downtowns at a very local level, we ensure our successes are complementary, not exclusive.

John Simone is President & CEO of Connecticut Main Street Center, which provides solutions that help communities create great downtowns across Connecticut, revitalizing downtowns as the social and economic heart of the community. At the local level, CMSC works with dedicated stakeholders including municipal employees, business owners and volunteers to help them craft an inviting, vibrant downtown.  Learn more at www.ctmainstreet.org

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers. 

PERSPECTIVE l The Hills of Connecticut are Slippery; and So is Steering

by Bill Denya Connecticut is hilly. In fact, the western part of the state, known officially as the Western New England Upland, is characterized by steep hills and ridges. There are abrupt inclines in the central region, sharp peaks in Litchfield County, and a long drop towards the Coastal Lowlands that run along the southern shore of the state near Long Island Sound. You would be hard-pressed to drive very long without encountering significant ups and downs.

With spring rainfall, especially over last year’s dead leaves, hills can become dangerous; they often mean skidding, sliding, slipping, and occasionally crashing. That in turn leads to trips to the auto body shop to bring our vehicles back to pristine, road-worthy condition. Or not.

Through no fault of our own, many consumers unwittingly are directed, or steered, to specific auto body repair shops by the appraiser who inspects the damage to our vehicle, or by our automotive insurance policy holder. The rationale behind this "steering" is that we consumers are sent to places where the repairs will cost less and everyone wins.

The auto body shop will get our business, the insurance company won't have to pay out as much in damages and we policy holders may not see our rates go up as much. Great idea.

Except that far too often the reason the repairs cost less is because substandard parts are used, sometimes in conjunction with substandard workmanship. This further endangers us motorists who certainly don't want to get back out on the road only to find ourselves in another collision, this one caused by our own recently repaired vehicle.

The Connecticut Auto Body Association has successfully fought against insurance company steering for many years, and in 2010 was instrumental in convincing the state legislature to outlaw steering in Connecticut.

Nonetheless, the practice still exists in Connecticut and nationwide, and it is causing considerable concern. State Attorneys General and auto body shop owners in at least 36 states currently are pushing for anti-steering legislation nationwide. It is obvious that the current laws need stricter enforcement and new laws need to be passed.

Among those pushing for nationwide anti-steering legislation is U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal who was a staunch proponent of Connecticut's earlier legislation. Blumenthal is so concerned about the possibility of injuries to motorists due to substandard replacement parts that he has asked the U.S. Justice Department to launch an investigation into the practice.

Blumenthal recently said that "steering often involves the use of parts that may be salvaged or inferior or even counterfeit." He added that the possibility of accident and injuries caused by such parts are "a real urgent and imminent safety concern for the consumer who may have no idea what the origin of the parts are, who made them, or even whether they're installed properly."

It is one thing to have an accident because the hills of our Connecticut can send us “slip-sliding away” in a rainstorm. It is quite another matter to cause a collision due to inferior parts and workmanship on a vehicle that we just paid to have repaired, and that we trusted to be roadworthy.

There are enough dangers on the roads, regardless of the season or weather, without adding to them by using poor quality parts.

Bill Denya is a board member and former president of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut, a statewide consumer advocacy group. He is the owner of Denya’s Auto Body in Meriden, and can be reached at (203) 237-6068.

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CT by the Numbers publishes opinion articles of 600 words or less.  Submissions should be emailed to info@ctbythenumbers.info.  Perspectives are published at the discretion of CT by the Numbers.