WHY DO PEOPLE STOPVOLUNTEERING?
by Kyle Potts
W hy do people stop volunteering in dog clubs? Why is it so dif- ficult to find people to help out, even on the smallest task? The answers will vary from “I just don’t have any time”, to “I’m not showing any more so I don’t have the interest”, and then there is one that I was given very recently;” I don’t want to be beat up like I see happening to the board”. That last onemademe sad to hear, but there is a ring of truth to it. The election of officers and board of directors is becoming more and more difficult each year. I see the Nomi- nating Committee calling for volun- teers and encouraging people to step up. My own experience may serve as something to think about for those contemplating stepping up in the club. Thirteen years ago I made the de- cision to run for a board position. I heard the current members speak of wanting to get off the board. They said they had done their time and they were tired. I accepted it as a fact and I thought that I had enough free time that I could help out. I did not come onto the board with an agenda in mind, and I had no thoughts of chang- ing the club in one direction or the other. I really knew very little about what the board did, but everyone
around me told me it wasn’t difficult and didn’t really take up much time. Now, either they weren’t doing “it” correctly or they flat out lied to me, because it is difficult and it does take time, if you do it correctly. When I first was elected to the board, the board meetings were fairly quiet, we didn’t have a lot going on in the club, and the biggest issue to hit to- wards the end of my term was the BreedStandard revisionballot.While there was some controversy swirling around that, it wasn’t enough to cause me great concern because I was not in charge and it affected me minimally. Under the leadership at that time, the board operated with little or no input from themembership. Decisions were made and not questioned, and no one complained about it. If there were members who were unhappy with the direction of the club, they didn’t voice it much. After four years on the board, I was ready to run for President. The Presi- dent was stepping down and I was told that I was the next logical candidate for the job. I knew going into the role of President that there was one thing I wanted to see happen. I wanted to shift the bulk of the decisions that af- fected the club, back to the members
and out of only the board’s hands. It wasn’t a shift of power per se, but more a concentrated effort to get more of the membership involved and to allow them more ownership in their club. It didn’t take long for the members to start taking that owner- ship, and the results were for the most part, very exciting. The club moved forward in leaps and bounds with new avenues of giving time and talent, new opportunities for competition, and suggestions for new ways to increase the coffers of the club. Putting the reins back in the mem- ber’s hands would also bring a nega- tive result to the table at times though. The people who stepped up and vol- unteered for the Board or for Com- mittee Chair positions seemed to be under scrutiny at all times by a small group of members. Many times, ev- ery move was questioned, and Board members or Chairs were criticized publically, often on the internet on public forums. Some quit, choosing to not be subjected to the harassment. Others grew silent, so as to not draw any undue attention to themselves. As I watched this happen, it made me sad, and angry, and weary. I understand why so few are willing to step forward. Praise is almost >
40 • T op N otch T oys , J anuary 2020
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