I fully believed in volunteering and have been involved many times with many organizations. However, it's time Business Volunteers Maryland and other recruiters understand volunteers also need appreciation. From my 10 years of volunteering, that has not been the case. Many others have expressed the same dissatisfaction over how they are marginalized.
After retiring, I looked forward to community activities and hoped to find meaningful volunteer work. Well, there was plenty of unpaid work, and I must have put in hundreds of hours. But after each volunteer assignment, I came away with the empty feeling I was nothing more than "unpaid help." And I'm not the only one who has pointed this out!
For some reason, volunteers are never "part of the team." This has happened to me so many times and so I quit volunteering altogether. You show up, do your work and if you're lucky, the paid staff might say "good morning." I volunteered at a local hospital and couldn't believe how I was marginalized, even though the supervisor praised my work and dedication. It is a disgrace the way intelligent, valuable volunteers are treated. Apparently, receiving a paycheck makes all the difference.
It's time volunteers are respected and our suggestions are not dismissed as unimportant. We also deserve a little more than a computer-generated "thank you" note. Organizations must realize volunteers are professionals too. We need to be considered something more than "unpaid help!"
Rosalind Heid, Baltimore