Posted by
NOTLEGALROADKILLYET on Friday, September 29, 2006 4:13:48 PM
I have had a blast this summer as a volunteer in the Colorado Beauprez for Governor campaign headquarters. It was my first stint as a serious volunteer.
Before I begin, I want to acknowledge that this article is not about the big time players in the volunteer business, the surrogate speakers, the county chairs, the county volunteer coordinators, etc. Most, if not all, of those folks started as "bit" players, and I was a bit player this summer.
But bit players are important, sometimes very important, and they can get noticed if they do it right. When I started this summer, I told the campaign that there was only one thing I wouldn't do-make push poll phone calls. I hate getting those. Fortunately, the Beauprez campaign doesn't do those, so it is not an issue.
At the beginning of the summer, no one knew who I was or what I could do. My feeling is that volunteers are there to make the paid staff's job easy, and that they should interact with the paid staff as little as possible, except the volunteer coordinator, and I followed that rule. The end of the campaign is a month away and I am now addressed by name by nearly every member of the staff. This week as a reward, I got invited to participate in a see and be seen event (while invitations have gone out, I am not sure I can blog about it but I will edit this post after the event). I am not going to go, but that is my choice. Earlier in the summer, I did see Karl Rove, which was intended as another reward, though what I learned proved very valuable and
useful to the campaign.
That change from invisible volunteer to very visible volunteer came about because I treated the volunteering as a job. I can come and go when I please, but I choose to come and go on the same days at the same times each week. That means I can be counted on when a given staffer has a need for help, and that staffer naturally learns my name. The fact that I am willing to do anything makes me even more valuable. I also have some special skills which have been noticed and put to good use.
Campaigns need all kinds of internal volunteers, including receptionists. You can make a name for yourself by applying yourself in a slow and steady way. Pick one day or even one shift and consistently show up that day to help. No one (except me) likes to make phone calls, so if you can and will do that, the campaign will love you even more.
Volunteering for a campaign can be rewarding in so many ways, even as a bit player. You have another month to help. Start now.
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No campaign ever has enough volunteers. If you live in the South Denver area and want to work in the Beauprez headquarters, the campaign is still looking to fill a small number of shifts for envelope stuffers and folks who will make phone calls. Call Shirley 303-996-8388.
According to Zogby the campaign is down 2.7%. Four years ago Zogby called the Allard race a tie but Allard won by 6%, so I think we are ahead. I think we are going to win.