Raise your hand

Sebastopol Service and Action Coalition is launching a survey and a door-to-door campaign to encourage volunteerism

The Sebastopol Service & Action Coalition (SSAC) is launching a new effort to increase the number of people willing to become volunteers in Sebastopol. SSAC is made up of representatives of different service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, the 20-30 Club, etc.) and was started several years ago as part of a city-funded community vitality project.

 “We are putting out a call to action for every local resident to volunteer or even join a service club,” said Craig Litwin, SSAC’s creator and a member of Kiwanis. “There is a lot of need, and there are many ways to plug in and participate.”

“SSAC agreed to do a survey and launch a door-to-door campaign to solicit and find volunteers to plug into activities organized by service clubs and nonprofits,” he continued. “There are many new residents in town, and we have created a container to make it easier to volunteer.”

The group is in the early stages of its volunteer recruitment effort. There is no website for the project yet—they’re keeping it low-tech—but you can take the online volunteer survey here.

As a kind of test for how this door-to-door survey effort would go over, Litwin did a small pilot project in the neighborhood around the high school, talking with people about the idea of volunteering.

“I talked to people individually to gauge if there was some interest and if people would be receptive to talking at their door,” he said. “I’ve done lots of door-to-door work over the years when I ran for council and for other local programs, and my SSAC survey was very well received, as far as people wanting to talk about what Sebastopol needs and letting me know if they have time to volunteer.”

Reaching out so directly to the public is a bit of a departure for SSAC—which has thus far focused on building ties between the various service clubs—but Litwin said it’s the next logical step for the group.

“We have been working to support each other’s volunteer efforts. Each group does different fundraisers or community events to help the youth, to help the elderly, to help a number of needs. And we found that stepping in and supporting each other is an effective way to leverage our combined interest in making a better Sebastopol,” Litwin said. “So we just extended that and thought, ‘How can we do even more and help people who are new to the community or don’t yet know where to get involved?’”

Volunteer singly or join a club

In addition to recruiting volunteers to work on various service club and nonprofit projects, the members of SSAC are also hoping that some volunteers will actually decide to join a service club.

In general service clubs in Sebastopol work on their own projects—the Lions Club, for example, provides eyeglasses for any child in Sebastopol that can’t afford them, while Sebastopol Rotary offers the Learn to Swim program at Ives Pool, local teacher grants, as well as international aid programs. Since the creation of SSAC, the clubs also collaborate on projects now and then. Finally—and perhaps most critically, service clubs provide volunteer labor for large community events like the Gravenstein Apple Fair and Apple Blossom Festival.

Every service club in this town is looking for more members, especially younger members, to carry on the clubs’ mission of service.

“A service club is a group of like-minded people coming together to organize for the community good—raising money and giving it to those in need for scholarships, swim programs, eyeglasses, you name it,” Litwin said. “All of our service clubs have a need to recruit more people. We feel that many people may not even know that there are options to join a service club. You know, it’s fun to be part of a group of like-minded people working on something for the common good.”

“Some service clubs are doing fabulous programs, and they need visibility in the community to attract volunteers who would love to be part of a successful venture,” said SSAC member Ellen Harrington, who is also a member of Rotary Club of Sebastopol. “My personal involvement is the rewards given each time I see the gratefulness of individuals and organizations when a project is funded and completed with volunteerism.”

Sebastopol actually has two Rotary Club chapters, one that meets at noon and one that meets at 7:30 am.

David Mark Raymond, a member of Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise, explained what he liked about being in a service club.

“Sebastopol Sunrise Rotary is a social club comprised of women and men with diverse skills and interests,” he said. “Together we build friendships, collaborate, develop our skills, network and do projects locally and abroad. There is a tremendous opportunity to be involved in making our world happier and more functional.”

“I volunteer as it connects me with amazing people doing great things,” Raymond continued. “We Americans have a rich history of accomplishing things that government is not designed for. Encouraging what is good in our world feeds me.” 

Litwin explained it this way: “Volunteering, for me, I feel like I’m doing something to create a better Sebastopol that’s within my fingertips. Sometimes I feel concerned about the world, about climate change, about hunger, and I look around me and think, ‘What can I do?’ And right here in my own community, I can plug in and make a difference.”

To find out more about this effort or to volunteer, take the survey and/or email Craig Litwin at cnlitwin@gmail.com.