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You know how the city of Independence doesn’t allow signs to be taped to utility poles, although some people do it anyway? Someone has to go around and remove those.
And the Halloween parade last weekend? Someone has to direct traffic around the Square.
And serving meals at the Palmer Senior Center? Someone has to help.
The city of Independence relies on hundreds of volunteers in just about every department. That stretches budgets and helps the city tend to some tasks that otherwise might go undone.
“You couldn’t open the doors without volunteers,” said Helen Matson, the city’s volunteer coordinator. She spoke Thursday at a Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation conference being held this week at the Truman Memorial Building in Independence. The conference theme is “Protecting the Irreplaceable.” It started Wednesday and ends today.
Matson maintains a database of nearly 800 volunteers working with police, picking up litter in parks, helping run the city’s many historic sites such as the Truman Depot and the Vaile Mansion, and helping at the animal shelter and elsewhere. One couple will get on their bikes and ride the city’s trails to make sure things are OK.
“Anybody who wants to do volunteer service, bring them on in, and we’ll do it,” Matson said.
She said she sits down with each potential volunteer to walk through all of the available opportunities. It might be an office that needs filing done. It could helping with the city’s periodic neighborhood cleanups, activities at which city staff often volunteer their time as well.
Wendy Shay, the city’s historic preservation manager, says if there’s some vandalism at a city site, she calls Matson.
“She finds a volunteer,” Shay said, “and within two days it’s done.”/
Officer Rob Romey of the Community Services Unit said the Police Department uses about 40 volunteers doing everything from installing child seats in cars to helping with surveillance.
“It’s a great job they do, a great service,” he said.
The Palmer Center serves 100 meals a day to seniors and delivers another 100 to homes, all with one full-time staff person and lots of volunteers.
“They’re at the doors before we even get to work,” said Peggy Sowders, senior adult program specialist at the Palmer Center.
It’s important, Matson said, that volunteers be well trained and have a good experience because they will talk to friends and family.
“Your No. 1 recruiter is the volunteer,” she said.
In addition to the benefits to the community, the volunteers usually get a lot out of it too.
“It’s better than sitting home watching soap operas and judge shows. That’s the feedback we get,” Sowders said.
A lot of times young people assigned to community service find it rewarding to help out at the city’s animal shelter.
“A lot of them will serve their time over there,” Matson said, “and they will come back.”
Want to help? Call Helen Matson at 816-325-7860.
You know how the city of Independence doesn’t allow signs to be taped to utility poles, although some people do it anyway? Someone has to go around and remove those.
And the Halloween parade last weekend? Someone has to direct traffic around the Square.
And serving meals at the Palmer Senior Center? Someone has to help.
The city of Independence relies on hundreds of volunteers in just about every department. That stretches budgets and helps the city tend to some tasks that otherwise might go undone.
“You couldn’t open the doors without volunteers,” said Helen Matson, the city’s volunteer coordinator. She spoke Thursday at a Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation conference being held this week at the Truman Memorial Building in Independence. The conference theme is “Protecting the Irreplaceable.” It started Wednesday and ends today.
Matson maintains a database of nearly 800 volunteers working with police, picking up litter in parks, helping run the city’s many historic sites such as the Truman Depot and the Vaile Mansion, and helping at the animal shelter and elsewhere. One couple will get on their bikes and ride the city’s trails to make sure things are OK.
“Anybody who wants to do volunteer service, bring them on in, and we’ll do it,” Matson said.
She said she sits down with each potential volunteer to walk through all of the available opportunities. It might be an office that needs filing done. It could helping with the city’s periodic neighborhood cleanups, activities at which city staff often volunteer their time as well.
Wendy Shay, the city’s historic preservation manager, says if there’s some vandalism at a city site, she calls Matson.
“She finds a volunteer,” Shay said, “and within two days it’s done.”/
Officer Rob Romey of the Community Services Unit said the Police Department uses about 40 volunteers doing everything from installing child seats in cars to helping with surveillance.
“It’s a great job they do, a great service,” he said.
The Palmer Center serves 100 meals a day to seniors and delivers another 100 to homes, all with one full-time staff person and lots of volunteers.
“They’re at the doors before we even get to work,” said Peggy Sowders, senior adult program specialist at the Palmer Center.
It’s important, Matson said, that volunteers be well trained and have a good experience because they will talk to friends and family.
“Your No. 1 recruiter is the volunteer,” she said.
In addition to the benefits to the community, the volunteers usually get a lot out of it too.
“It’s better than sitting home watching soap operas and judge shows. That’s the feedback we get,” Sowders said.
A lot of times young people assigned to community service find it rewarding to help out at the city’s animal shelter.
“A lot of them will serve their time over there,” Matson said, “and they will come back.”
Want to help? Call Helen Matson at 816-325-7860.
