Career Rocket, an online blog with career advice, suggests that volunteering offers potential branding advantages for an individual’s resume. Many charities are well recognized in their communities. As a volunteer you also have the opportunity to network with other folks who are connected to jobs, organizations and people who may have leads.  Additionally, as you become more passionately involved with a charitable organization, there might actually be an opportunity to become employed there as you display your talents and desire to help the organization improve and grow.  Many nonprofits also offer different tiers of volunteer opportunities that may more appropriately match skill sets.

As a volunteer you often interact with some powerful leaders on staff or on Boards of Directors.  Investing in those relationships can lead you to a great recommendation, too.  Sometimes that nudge is just what you need to land the job of your dreams.

The experts say to be as specific as possible when listing your volunteer experience on a resume, especially if you have worked on substantive tasks, such as helping manage a budget, organize teams, recruit and train other volunteers, or serve on a Board of Directors.  These experiences demonstrate skills easily transferable into for-profit businesses.

If you are on the hunt for a satisfying volunteer experience, or are ready to take on some different volunteer activities, check out the many opportunities available here at RTMD.  We offer a monthly volunteer orientation the last Tuesday of every month at 4:30.  Our next session is on February 28.  Contact us for more information.

This is the month of hearts from Valentine’s Day to the President’s proclamation as America’s Heart Month.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has issued a February Toolkit outlining guidelines from the American Heart Association and other health information, which offers templates for emails, tweets and Facebook posts, to remind family and friends that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Retailers make the most of this first consumer holiday post-Christmas with some using it as an opportunity to link merchandise with charitable donations. Macy’s, for example, hosts “Wear Red Day” and donates 10% of sales of some brands to the American Heart Association.

As you focus on your own heart health and those of your loved ones this month, consider what else research shows about heart health.  Not only are exercise and the right foods essential, but so, too, is the companionship and camaraderie of family and friends.  Generosity plays a role in overall health, too.  M.J. Ryan in the book, Giving Heart, quotes recent research from Cornell University which found that “volunteering increases a person’s energy, sense of mastery over life, and self-esteem.”  These positive feelings create a chain of influences in the body’s chemistry including the release of endorphins, often called the human body’s natural tranquilizers and painkillers, stimulating dilation of blood vessels which has a positive impact on the heart.

The University of Michigan, Harvard University and dozens of other research teams validate the powerful impact to the immune system with acts of giving.  One study suggests positive physical effects can obtain even from watching acts of generosity!

So, this month eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, get off the couch, and find a cause you can support by giving your time and energy to make others’ lives better.  You can find detailed information on nearly 100 nonprofit organizations in Colorado at GivingFirst to get some ideas.  Many of these organizations have volunteer opportunities.

Consider learning more about the many ways to get involved and help keep your heart healthy here at Rebuilding Together Metro Denver.

Outgoing Chair, Glenn Renner, welcomed the newly elected Chair, Chris Magyar, with enthusiasm and encouragement for the important work ahead this year.  “It is with pride and pleasure that I hand over this significant role to Chris,” Renner noted after the vote.  “Together we have strengthened the organization over the past year.  I have every confidence you and the Board will continue to deliver on our important mission.”

Glenn Renner has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for three years, an exceptional period of change and transition in the organization’s history.  Impacted by the economic downturn in 2008, the organization set a revised course, including transition to a new CEO in the spring of 2010.  As President and COO of HomeSphere, one of the national leaders in the home improvement business, Glenn came to the RTMD Board with the critical leadership skills needed to navigate the organization through its changes.  He leaves a legacy of significant improvements, including having strengthened the financial picture for the future.

“As both a visionary and experienced leader, Glenn has served as a model and anchor for RTMD during a time of great change, and for me personally as I took on the role of CEO a little over a year and a half ago,” said Kathryn Arbour.

Chris Magyar currently serves as Vice President at Gunther Douglas, a professional Information Technology Consulting and Placement firm.  His expertise in business development and strong business connections throughout the metro Denver area is a strong match for RTMD as it reaches more deeply into the communities served, expanding opportunities for potential sponsors and volunteers in the service of homeowners in need. “The staff and I are so pleased that Chris is stepping in to help continue our incredible progress,” CEO Arbour added.

For more information on serving as a member of the Board of Directors, contact George Tyler, RTMD’s Chair of Governance.

Encouraged by the suggestions of volunteers who love learning new skills while on Rebuilding Day projects throughout the year, RTMD developed the workshops in collaboration with Handyman Matters, a national leader in the home improvement and home repair business with headquarters in Littleton, CO.  Handyman Matters is a supporter of Rebuilding Together and is the sponsor of our new training workshop series.  Founder and President, Andy Bell, will conduct a number of the sessions.

At last week’s workshop, Stan Hartzheim, our Contract & Construction Services Director, rolled out a completely revamped home preview process to a group of skilled volunteers, some of whom helped design the new preview which gives trained volunteers an easy-to-use tool needed to complete a thorough assessment of the repairs needed.   The home preview is an essential part of our process for selecting the projects for Rebuilding Days.  Tyler Jones, principal of Jones Custom Builders and a key member of the preview tool design team, said, “The reshaping of this overall process is a big step that will help not only RTMD decision-makers, but those of us who lead projects as skilled captains.  Having a better handle on the problems with the home makes us all smarter as we do the repairs.”

Hank Battjes, another of RTMD’s skilled volunteers, noted that one of the best parts of this new tool is that it results in helping the organization more accurately develop costs for each project.

RTMD has put together a series of training sessions that will be offered every six weeks on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  The workshops are open to volunteers of all abilities and to the public who may want to learn more about home repairs. The schedule highlights the repairs and safety modifications needed routinely as RTMD brings its crucial services to the community. Installing grab bars and handrails; conducting water audits and replacing inefficient toilets; identifying and repairing elusive water leaks; and basic dry walling techniques are among the many topics planned.  All introductory sessions are offered at no cost.  RTMD will offer the opportunity for apprenticing in exchange for volunteer hours.

If you are on the hunt for the basics of home repair, and you find our Rebuilding Together mission compelling, these are the workshops for you!

See more details about the sessions and directions for signing up.

If you are on the hunt for the basics of home repair, and you find our Rebuilding Together mission compelling, these are the workshops for you!

Schedule of Workshops:

March 1

Water Audits & Toilet Repair and Replacement

Drip, drip, drip…When that faucet or toilet runs constantly, so does the water meter.  The repairs often needed are fairly simple and rarely cost more than a few dollars for parts, if you can fix it yourself.  Toilet repair and replacement represents a large percentage of the everyday needs our homeowners have.  The fixes represent real dollars to them! Sign up to learn more about this practical work.

Sign up now…

April 12

Clues for Finding Elusive Leaks and Getting at the Sources of Mold

Because water leaks are not always obvious, the damage water causes over time causes big and often dangerous problems – rotting floors, walls, ceilings.  Mold is another by-product of water damage and while our drier climate in Colorado may not cause mold to flourish and present itself in the same ways as in humid climates, make no mistake that Colorado has mold problems. Learn where to look to find the often “invisible” sources of water that lead to big problems. Solving that problem is the first approach to fixing mold issues.

Sign up now…

May 24

The Basics and Beyond of Installing Grab Bars

A grab bar is one of the simplest tools to help aging adults prevent falls and yet we discover houses every day without them.  Proper installation is not difficult, but it does require some training and a few key tools to have on hand.  Learn the basics and practice finding studs and using molly bolts and other wall anchors, just two of the many basic strategies covered in this workshop.

Sign up now…

June 21

Dry Walling 101: The Basics

Repairing holes, nicks and other damage to dry wall not only enhances the appearance of a space, but offers very real savings on energy costs and adds to safety and comfort of the home. Learn the basics about wall textures, materials, and tools needed to repair small to medium-sized holes, sealing separated wall and ceiling surfaces, and properly preparing the surface for finish.

Sign up now…

Sponsored by:

Life’s big questions have offered challenge and despair to humans since the beginning of time.  A Colorado State University professor and a team of psychology students have taken on the task of studying this question of meaning in life, conducting interviews and administering tests in Michael Steger’s “Laboratory for the Study of Meaning and the Quality of Life.”

It is not surprising that among the findings emerging from the ongoing study is the one most of us already know.  When any task “is cloaked in purpose…,” many people find the toiling more meaningful.  Apart from Dr. Steger’s study, there is research outlining the impact of volunteerism in life’s search for meaning.

Those of us who run organizations like Rebuilding Together, think about volunteers all the time, and how crucial they are in delivering much needed services and skills in our communities. We know from first-hand experience what spending a day in a stranger’s home helping to make it safe and sound again can do for bringing purpose to tasks.   In the book, Social Work with Volunteers, author Michael Sherr notes that, “Volunteerism is one way reciprocal transactions can occur between different systems. People who volunteer learn new things and feel helpful and needed. People receiving assistance from volunteers benefit from the services and from knowing they are important enough for others to care about.”

Regardless of what gives your life meaning, chances are that it is not just one thing.  As we each find our own ways to create meaning, please consider volunteering.  Whether you choose to explore opportunities with us here at RTMD, or sign on with other groups that serve the metro Denver community, adding a stint or two of volunteerism to your life may just be one of the secret ingredients to finding the meaning of life, or your life’s meaning at least.

Sign up for one of our monthly volunteer orientation sessions.  Watch for news soon about regular training sessions where you can learn basic home repair techniques in exchange for a few hours of your time on a project.

This Months Orientation

February 28th

Doors open: 4:30pm

Orientation: 5:00 – 6:00pm

Topics: This month we will be discussing our mission, upcoming volunteer opportunities, different volunteer positions, new trainings, and upcoming events as we move into the project year.

Click here to register!

 

We hope to see you there!

In case you missed it on our facebook last week everyday an RTMD staff member shared what inspires and motivates them for 2012.  Here is the complete list of resolutions.  2012 looks to be a great year at RTMD.

Kathryn Arbour – CEO

1. Reaching even more homeowners in need. We aim to serve over 700 homeowners and 6 community centers this year through our many services.
2. Welcoming more businesses as sponsors and partners in our important work in the community.
3. Becoming the organization of choice as individuals throughout metro Denver get more involved in communities.

Jolynn Snyder – Development Director

1. To share the mission of RTMD with everyone with whom I interact.
2. To view wach day as a wonderful opportunity to help a homeowner in need.

Stan Hartzheim – Contract & Construction Services Director

1. I will utilize 750words.com to begin each day with an uncluttered mind and with the creative juices flowing to better assist homeowners in need.
2. To implement in my personal life RTMD’s mission of “safe and healthy” by hitting the gym regularly and getting more sleep.

Rob Santoro – Volunteer Services & Community Outreach Director

1. I will truly listen to our volunteer base and implement their desires into positive change.

Adre Early – Grants Manager

1. I will adopt a spirit of energy-efficiency for my own life as influenced by the work done by RTMD.
2. I will increase outreach to friends and family members and encourage them to get involved with RTMD and other non-profits. The more civic engagement, the better!

Kory Whitaker – Social Media & Web Services

1. Share all of the amazing work that RTMD does with our followers on Facebook and Twitter.
2. Promote RTMD’s beautiful and informative new website as much as possible.

Rebuilding Together Metro Denver kicked off the spirit of this holiday on January 12 and 13 at Zion Senior Center with two dozen volunteers from Rocky Mountain Business Travel Association (RMBTA) and the community, painting and replacing carpeting.  Read more about the involvement of RMBTA and their partners from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and see photos…

Other volunteer activities in the community this week include work in the Montbello neighborhood on Monday, January 16 with Groundwork Denver; Dinner For Those Who Hunger on Monday hosted by Volunteers of America (VOA); and,  Kaiser Permanente is the title sponsor of the MLK Day of Service in Colorado in partnership with Metro Volunteers organizing over 30 projects with 600 volunteers statewide.

Please consider exploring a volunteer opportunity with Rebuilding Together.  We serve vulnerable homeowners in need of crucial home repairs and safety modifications all year-long.

“Everybody can be great…because everyone can serve…You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”   – Martin Luther King, Jr.

To reduce risk of falls, nonskid hardwood laminate replaces the slick, bright vinyl flooring typical of most E.R.s. Softer lighting, beds with thicker mattresses to reduce pressure sores, and an overall quieter environment are just a few of the design changes made to enhance the emergency room experience for elders.

Walkers, assistive hearing devices, visual aids and easy to use recliners pepper the waiting room and intake areas, anticipating need before it is expressed.

With the intent to lower readmission rates and promote a more integrated approach to care for older populations, Exempla Lutheran serves as a pioneer in this emerging market.  Leaders at the hospital have also designed specialized training for physicians and nurses that replicates some of the physical effects of aging, challenges common stereotypes, and provides additional communication strategies for older patients and their caregivers.

Learn more about Exempla Lutheran Medical Center.

Also check out RTMD’s 25 Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy This Winter.