I had the great fortune to get interviewed the other day for a Maine-based podcast about community theater. Though for the most part I try to keep my life as the Executive Director of the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber, separate from my hobby of community theater, there are times when the two get entwined. Towards the end of the podcast I went on a rant about getting involved. I said, for those of you looking to add more life to your life, and maybe a church or a bar aren’t your ideal places to meet people (or if you want to add people beyond that) volunteer at your local community theater. You will always find they need help with ushers, or set builders, or any number of activities, and you will get to meet some lovely, open and welcoming people.

As much is that is true for community theater, it’s also true for so many organizations in the region. Volunteering is a great way to meet people and whether you are looking to meet more people socially, looking to increase your business prospects or looking to get involved in something positive in your communities, volunteering with a local organization can be a great step. Here’s a few tips about how to get started volunteering and some opportunities in the region.

The first thing to do is find something you like and care about. You may feel obligated to help out at places you feel like you ‘should’ care about and maybe you don’t. For instance, if you don’t really like kids, then volunteering for Big Brothers/ Big Sisters isn’t really for you. Maybe you think, ‘they need help though, I can suck it up.’ Resist that. If you’re going to be involved with something on a volunteer basis, and give up your free time, it needs to be something you like. If it isn’t, other people will know.

Secondly, only commit to what you’re able to do. I know as a director that’s really what I’m looking for. If someone can only come in to help in the office 5 hours per week and only on Thursdays and Fridays, that’s fine. If someone only wants to help out with a particular event and not every event we run, that’s great. As long as I know up front it helps me greatly.

And speaking of expectations, another good exercise is to ask what the roles and responsibilities are for you volunteering in this capacity. Someone volunteering at the soup kitchen, may hurt another volunteer’s feelings if they show up and start making the soup, when really what was need was to serve the soup. It goes the other way to, if you expect to be serving and they are looking at you to start cooking. It’s always good to ask what’s expected of you up front, that way both the organization and volunteer have a clear understanding of the role and where they fit.

Finally, don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and opinions. I have numerous stories of event recaps I’ve done when something went poorly and a volunteer says, “I was thinking that we should have done it another way, but I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes.” Speak up and share our thoughts. Volunteers are not only needed for their bodies, but for their words, minds and opinions. Any director of an organization knows that some of the best ideas have come from the volunteers, and that sharing ideas and collaborating is the best way to achieve success. If you know of a way that may be better, by all means share it.

So to recap, research what you want to do, commit to what you can give for time and effort, ask what is expected and share your thoughts! Now that we have the process, here are a few organizations who I know can always use some volunteers:

Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber: Ok, so it’s a bit self-serving, but it’s true- we are looking for volunteers. Mostly what we need are business colleagues to join some of our committees to help on specific projects, though we can always use help in the office from time-to-time based on what projects we’re working on. The SMMC has an existing Ambassadors Committee, which is ideal for business people looking to connect with other businesses through visitation, mentorship and greeting members at chamber events. Beginning in August, two more committees are kicking off with the Women’s Networking Group and the Marketing Team. Women’s Networking is a group planning 2-3 events per year featuring speakers on Women’s Issues in the Workplace, sharing success stories, trainings, etc. The Marketing Team will be tasked with various projects for the chamber with the first order of business being a redevelopment of our regional guest guide and map. This team will be a mix of marketing professionals, and also regular citizens who use the publications when they travel. We want the viewpoint of design professionals, but also we desperately need the consumer’s perspective.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters: There is a constant need for matches at our Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick. Currently they are looking for 40 ‘bigs’ to match with 40 ‘littles’ for local mentoring. These commitments can include playing games, sharing lunch, doing crafts or just listening. FMI contact them at 729- 7736

Brunswick Downtown Association & Main Street Bath: Both Main Street programs are constantly looking for help in their respective communities. Each organization has multiple committees and quarterly events they run, and any amount of volunteering can help. FMI Brunswick Downtown Association 729-4439; Main Street Bath- 442-7291.

For further listings of nonprofits in the region check out the SMMC website at www.midcoastmaine.com and find a list of non-profits under the ‘Professional Services’ tab in the directory.