Volunteering and Community

June: so much to say about June.  There was Twangfest for KDHX, St. Louis Heritage Festival, St. Louis Fringe Festival, Wine Dine and Jazz and Circus Flora.  I've also been doing Improv classes at The Improv Shop.  There is a quote on The Improv Shop wall and website by Kurt Vonnegut that goes: "And I would really, over the long run, hope America would find some way to provide all of our citizens with extended families -- a large group of people they could call on for help."  A little girl (4 or 5 years old) giving me a big hug after Circus Flora was over.  The combination of the quote and hug got me thinking that my favorite parts about volunteering and improv and life is the communities.  Communities that in some cases only get to see once a year and others that I can goof around with and be funny with.  Somehow it all makes sense together.  Probably my favorite part of doing any and all of it.  It's one of those things that I want to help push forward and help it grow.  So many communities to try to tie together and I am merely one thread amongst them all.

Volunteering of 2013

It's been an interesting year of volunteering.  It's a constant adventure of where one can go just by having a willingness to try anything and everything that is out there.  The reason that there is the Volunteer log is to keep track of all of them.

There is lots of stuff to experience out there.  It can be a way to gain experience in areas that you might not have yet.   If you want to try stuff out, you can probably find a way to do so.  Can't really tell about smaller areas where there may not be many volunteer opportunities.  Around large cities like St. Louis, there is always something right around the corner. 

Volunteer Organization Log for 2013

For those curious to what organizations that I've volunteer for during the 2013 year, this is the listing of them.  I am a small cog in a very large machine.

I don't post this to brag, only to remember.  It is my own unique brand of insanity.  I do this stuff because I like helping out.  It gives me claim to being able to say that I've worked at: art shows, concerts, parades, cookoffs, beer festivals, fundraisers, STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), around robots, and at the circus.

286.50 volunteer hours and current to August 27, 2013.
321.5 as of September 22, 2013

Art On The Square
Bluesweek
Catsup Festival
Cinema St. Louis International Film Festival
Circus Flora
KDHX and Twangfest
Kiwanis of O'Fallon
FIRST Robotics
LouFest
Midwest Wingfest
Midwest Salute To The Arts
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon 
Sheldon Concert Hall
Strange Folk Festival 
St. Louis Earth Day
St. Louis Fringe Festival
St. Louis Heritage Festival
St. Louis International Film Fest
St. Louis Mardi Gras (Parade and cajun cook off.)
St. Louis Micro Festival
St. Lous St. Patrick's Day 
SGI-USA of St. Louis
Toastmasters
Tour de Belleville

Paying for Volunteering

Paying for Volunteering.  It seems wrong to me.  I'm giving up time and effort for a cause.  At this point, I think I'm just evolving in my volunteering.  I love helping with all of these events but I do have to draw the line at paying to do it.  It would be a different story if I am a fan of the event purpose/cause/theme. Otherwise if I'm just dipping my toes, not so much. I'll do my best to differentiate.  The one's on my page are free to volunteer for, with the exception of Burning Man. 

Volunteering Why's

I have done a lot of volunteering.  It's been something like 800 hours over the last 2 years or so.  As for the why, I'm still trying to nail that down.  Some things that I've come up with are:

1. Lots of new and interesting experiences
1. Got to hang out back stage at music concerts and load up and ship out bands
2. Hung out on the roof on main street
3. Creepy Basement
4. Check out hidden places at events that most don't get to see.  
2. Helps me become a better leader and communicator 
3. Free T-Shirts, Food, booze, beverages, and candy (cool perk but not a requirement)
1. So many T-shirts
4. Meet lots of cool folks
5. Led me into other interesting stuff
1. Started taking classes at The Improv Shop
2. Got into other volunteer opportunities
6. Can honestly say I've worked at a circus, radio station, festivals, at a bar, selling merch, and giving away loads of free stuff.

There's a saying in improv that you need to "Get out of your head" and "Yes, and..  In a weird sense those are the ideas that I'm looking for.  It's an Art meets life and life meets art thing that seems like I've been living over the last few years with all this volunteering.  For the most part I improvise at these events.  I keep an ear to the ground and do what needs to be done.  Improv class is starting to show me the way to do this but also show me how to be funny too in an honest sort of way.  I do highly recommend taking up improv class for reasons I won't describe in this post.  If there is any interest I will describe it in future posts.

Volunteer Stuff On My Mind

Lately something that has been on my mind has been the fact that there seems to be a lack of interest in volunteering across the board.  Not that it is a lack of interest in volunteering per se but there is a noticeable lack of people helping out in their community.  There is a lot of great organizations out there that do a very broad spectrum of activities.  There is bound to be something out there for everyone.  I've done everything from work at a pet kennel, to art shows, to music concerts, to the circus.  There is a lot of them.

As I've mentioned, there seems to be a general degrading of the volunteer army that are partaking in helping out their community for a cause or any cause.  I just wish I knew what I could do to help draw people into some of these great organizations.  If there are ANY questions about any organization that I volunteer for...just ask.  I've got all the organizations that I participate in on my other page here.  Anything that I can do, let me know.  I know that I'm not perfect by any means but I will sure as hell try.  This whole volunteering this is something that I LOVE doing and being a part of stuff and being there to be of assistance.  I want as many people to enjoy some of the things that I experience as well.

I want to do more and I need more folks to help out as well.  I don't want to have to drag people out kicking and screaming.  People just need to use a few hours helping out there community.  Bring the kids, bring the family.  Organizations will gladly take all the help they can get.

Towel Day, Volunteering, and ISTP

First off: Happy Towel Day!   Particularly for all you Hitchhikers of the Galaxy.

Second this whole volunteer thing is still pretty dern interesting.  I'm always finding events or finally getting around to just signing up for stuff.  Finally signed up for the St. Louis Bluesweek Festival.  I've known about it for a while back when it was the Rib America thing that went all Memorial Day weekend long.  Stuff happened and it became Bluesweek.  I've always been a little torn about volunteering for it in the past few years because I'm always got a boomerang tournament to attend on Memorial Day weekend.  Specifically the Gateway Classic; going on 26 consecutive years thus far.

Anyways the St. Louis Blues week is a good event.  Good music and food.  They still do the whole BBQ and ribs thing.  Tasty for mouth and ears.  Yeah I was working it but I do fit in time to hang out and enjoy stuff.  I probably enjoy it that much more because I'm volunteering for it.

Not really that odd I think.  I am an ISTP.  It's interesting to think about everyonce and a while to think about the whole Brigs Meyers personality things sometimes.  Sure they are generic and cover lots of people like horoscope.  I do think I fit in with the various descriptions of the ISTP (link and other link and another other link) out there.  I'm an adventurer that likes to tinker and understand enough for me to get good at doing stuff.  But also don't like getting stuck into routines and following strict rules.

 But it's late and I probably should proof read but I just wanted to get it out there.

FIRST World Championships 2013

Another year in the books for volunteering at the FIRST Robotics World Championships.  Easily one of my favorite events to volunteer for.  It's usually the one event I try to get on for multiple days for either the Regional St. Louis competition or World event depending on how much time off I have banked up at work.

It starts with a challenge that is given to each of the different levels (JFLL, FLL, FTC, and FRC) and based on some theme.   This year was a combination of ascending higher and mobility.  The FTC were moving rings from one rack to another tic-tac-toe like board.  The FRC were shooting flying discs at holes 15 feet high or so.  It's great to see the ingenuity that the students bring to the table to create the robots and accomplish their goals.  The students only get about 3 months to accomplish these goals and do the tasks at hand.  By the time these teams get to the World Championships the machines they create are pretty awesome.  Wish I could of been doing this cool stuff as a student.  In lieu of that, I shall volunteer for FIRST Robotics.

Kiwanis should almost start supporting teams or the organization.  But that's just me.

Brief Volunteer Commentary

Just realizing that with all the volunteering that I do, I need to find a way to scout out other opportunities that happen to a rise on a yearly basis.  For instance, I just found out about the St. Louis Comic Con today.  If I would of known about it a month ago I would of signed up forever ago.  I've signed up but with a few days to the event, who knows if I'll get tagged up for it.   Not much to do except roll with it and be prepared next year.  Sometimes volunteering you hear about stuff way to late.  It's the hearing about it that matters the most.  

It's the hearing about stuff way to late that I need to fix.  I shouldn't be missing interesting stuff like Comic Con.  I blame myself for it.  I have been assuming that things like it only happen in California or something.  It's okay, I'll survive.  I'm gonna have to dig around a whole lot harder for some of these events.

If your interested in the event sign up for it.  May have to search around a bit on your own to find out where to sign up but it'll be worth it.   If you happen to know of anything interesting that happens to need volunteers, especially in the St. Louis area,  let me know down in the comments.  Otherwise Volunteer on and keep rocking.

I've also gotten a chance to cruse around St. Louis on a golf cart this past weekend for St. Patrick's Day parade festivities.  Pretty sweet event with one of the few events with a 5 MILE run prior to the parade.

April is shaping up to involve a KDHX phone drive (please show your support at KDHX.org), St. Louis  Earth Day, and FIRST Robotics World Championships.  Their is also the St. Louis MicroFest at the beginning of May.  Check them all out.  They are all interesting events in the St. Louis Area.

Mardi Gras 2013 and other Volunteering

Thus far for January and February, I've managed to get on the ship for volunteering for Mardi Gras.  First time for doing stuff with the Mardi Gras festivities here in St. Louis.  They have something like 5 different events going on during the Mardi Gras time frame.  There is a pet parade, a Cajun cook off, various alcohol tastings, music, and a huge parade on the last weekend.  Only really got to hit the Cajun cook off and the big parade.  The Cajun cook off had a lot of interesting chefs going head to head cooking stuff up.  Think the winner of the pro chef side involved some dry ice and a fish bowl.  I'm sure it's probably in the Riverfront Times or something. I'm a bit behind in documenting this stuff, you may have to search for it.

The Mardi Gras Grand Parade was huge.  It was packed full of people and about 85 floats.  Lots of beads where thrown over like 2 miles.  Glad I don't have to clean up after the event.  It's a huge draw for the flow of money for the city.  Glad I could help.

I've also been digging around for more volunteering opportunities.  Honestly I'll probably be a bit restricted on volunteering and limited to Friday nights into Saturday/Sundays.  Perils of starting a day job and not having the time off yet.

Any one that is in the vicinity of O'Fallon, Illinois, the Kiwanis of O'Fallon is having their annual Spaghetti Dinner on February 23, 2013 from 4:30 to 7:30 pm.  It'll be at the KC Hall (map).  Adults: $8, Kids: $4, and families are $20.  Bring your friends, family, kids, and enemies to help a great cause.

For March there is the St. Patrick's Day run and parade on March 16, 2013.  FIRST Robotics is also having a few St. Louis events coming up in March and April.

2012 Volunteer Stats

2012 Totals:

372 as of 1/2/2013 final count for 2012
371.5as of 12/24/2012
367.5 as of 12/19/12
347.25 as of 10/29/12
317 as of 10/10/2012
300 as of 9/30/2012

The 2012 list of organizations that I have volunteered for

FIRST Robotics put me at 100 hours.
Art On The Square
Midwest Salute To The Arts
Circus Flora put me over 200 with 206.75
KDHX
Sheldon Concert Hall
LouFest
Kiwanis of O'Fallon and Fairview Heights
O'Fallon, Illinois Adopt a Street Litter Pickup
Red Cross
Spencer Kennel and Pet Rescue 
Toastmasters Speech Contest

Shiloh Homecoming
U City Jazz Fest
Strange Folk Festival 300th hour.
Pork With Passion
Wine, Dine, And Jazz
Salvation Army Sign up here.
Rotary

Places having fund raisers in combination with others
The Shanti

Cancelled Events
Wingsfest - rained out by remnants of Hurricane Isaac.  Lesson learned is that if you plan a hurricane, time out the residual rain better.

KDHX's Art Attack 4

 Got to hang out at KDHX's Art Attack 4 this past weekend.  It was a pretty neat event.  It put up 32 local artists head to head against each other.  The popular paintings got to move on while the losers got to be auctioned off for KDHX.  The even bigger losers paintings that did not get to the threshold bid amount got brutally destroyed by the wheel of destruction.

Some Photos of Summer/Fall 2012 (Part 3)

More shenanigans.  The upper two are some images from Loufest.  While I was only there for the second half of the first day, it was a pretty cool event.  Lots of great music.  Would of been there longer but I did have the Tie Dye event just before this one.  Long day though.  You should check it out.

Next handful are from the U City Jazz Festival It was a good event with a few minor tweaks that could be made.  Lots of great jazz going on and good food.  It was also slim picking on food as well.

Should be caught up with photo's at this point.  If you got this far, I hope you enjoyed my summer.

Some Photos of Summer/Fall 2012 (Part 2)

More photos of stuff that I did this summer. First one is from one of the Thursday's at the Intersection out in front of The Fox.  JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound were the main act for this concert.  The concert also doubled as a fairwell party for one of the KDHX directors.  It's not to far off from Circus Flora that I've mentioned before in other posts.  

Wine, DIne, and Jazz 2012

Past weekend was the Wine, DIne, and Jazz Festival.  Pretty good event.  Unfortunately the weather didn't fully cooperate.  Friday night (Oct 19th) was cold and the St. Louis Cardinals were in the NLCS playoff series.  But we did have a screen out there to watch part of the game that night.

Saturday (Oct 20) was busier.  Loads more people relative to the night before.  Seemed to taper off during the night.  The night went smooth though.  Certainly kept busy throughout the night helping folks out.  That's the way it goes sometimes.

Some Photos of Summer/Fall 2012 (Part 1)

I've been meaning to upload photos of what I've been doing.  So for starters here are some photos from Circus Flora from back in June.  I don't claim them to be great photos.  That being said, what you are getting are photos of passing by stuff while being stuck in that point of view.  

Circus Flora tent out behind Powell Symphony Hall

  See more below.

KDHX Fall 2012 Membership Drive

Helped out with the KDHX membership drive this past weekend.  If you haven't donated yet, you should.  KDHX plays such a wide variety of music that you are guaranteed to find something you like on there.  You want electronic, you got Beep Beep, Boop Boop on Wednesday nights from 9pm to 11pm.  You want blues, you got:  Soul Selector,  Blursday,  Blues in the Night to name a very few. International music:  Radio Rio,  Folks of the World, or  Reggae Reunion.  Check out the show schedule.  There is so much to explore at KDHX.

Seriously check out the show schedule page and find some great music.  There is seriously lots of good stuff there.  If you can't afford to send in money but happen to be be in St. Louis, you can volunteer with the station and do lots of cool stuff there.  

Strange Folk Festival 2012

Spent last weekend at the Strange Folk Festival.  I got to help out with setting up the 10 different bands that the event had.  Special thanks go out to the The Luminary Center for the Arts for also helping out with the bands and getting them scheduled to preform and a bit of the set up.  Really need to learn more about sound engineering but I'm getting there.

Both days seemed to have a very nice sized crowd in attendance.  Lots of interesting vendors this year showing off their warez.  Very cool event as always.

Volunteer hour wise it put me at 300 hours on the nose.  Pretty rare to land exactly on a number but cool.

Think the complaint towards the event being gay friendly is crap.  It's everybody friendly and it happen to use Nyan Cat as part of the advertising.  Because NyanCat is funny in an annoying way.

Weather....It doesn't always play nice

This upcoming weekend was suppose to be the Midwest WingFest (Aug 31 - Sept 1).  Always a bummer when things get rained out.  Sometimes its a few minute thing and be okay for going on but sometimes not so much.  Local forecasts are predicting 3+ inches of rain over Friday and Saturday with the possibility of 10".  May just get some wings from one of the list of participating wings places and that should cover me for wings this weekend.

If boomerangs have taught me anything, its that everything can be set up perfect but can still be thrown off by weather.

Art, Tie Dye, LouFest, and Running Totals

Busy weekend over August 24-26, 2012.  Hung out at the Midwest Salute To The Arts, The Shanti & KDHX Tie Dye Fundraiser, and LouFest.  Pretty neat.  Got to help out artists on Friday and Sunday and talk with them.  Got to meet a neat lady that makes didgeridoos.  Also tore down the event and consolidated rental equipment and electrical cords.

The Shanti and KDHX tie dye event was cool.  Got to tie dye a few shirts for other volunteer events.  Turned out pretty well.  Pretty simple process of scrunching up your shirt and wrapping rubber bands where you want them.  It's kinda cool knowing that I can now tie dye my own shirts.  The "tie dye" shirts you can buy at the store seem so generic.  They all look the same.  When you actually do your own tie dye you get the imperfections and that's the way it should be.  No two shirts should ever be the same.  Similar at most but very unique and different.  A lot like boomerangs in that regard.  No two boomerangs should ever be exactly the same, as much as they look like it.  Boomerangs should fly similar but different.  All part of the fun in tie dye and boomerangs.

Got to hang out at LouFest.  Saw Little Barrie, Son Volt, Phantogram, and Dinosaur Jr.  Lots of great music at the event.  Meet a lot of fans of KDHX as well.  Gave away a lot of stickers, fans, and station info.  Even wandered the crowds to give away stickers.  The musician were very melodious and gave me an idea for a new KDHX give away.  The idea has been passed up to the station folks and we shall see where it goes.

I do enjoy the process of spending a weekend volunteering at local events and radio stations.  It gives people a chance to meet their community.

On a side note, it does get me to wonder about organized service groups.  I am a member of the Kiwanis and frequently hear about Rotary.  Seems like they are all in need of members but I still never hear about them, at least from members themselves.  If I weren't a member of Kiwanis, I probably would not know about them, nor Rotary.  Attendance policy is another story.

Think I will try to include stats of how far I've gone hour wise with volunteering as I do them.  I'm not going to retroactivly update posts but I will continue them forward from here.  Therefore I will give the stats as of the details of this post.  Started logging at the 2011 Midwest Salute To The Arts last August.  Moving forward I will only post the cumulative for 2012 and then at some point stand out the year end total.

The totals as of the completion of these events are:
Event year (Aug 2011 to Aug 2012 Midwest Salute To The Arts): 330 hours
Cumulative 2012: 247