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>>> DO YOU FEEL THE DESIRE TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO YOUR
COMMUNITY? VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
IN THE CITY OF NORFOLK. TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET INVOLVED
AND WHO TO CALL, PLEASE WELCOME PAMELA MARINO, MANAGER OF
NORFOLK'S BUREAU OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENRICHMENT, AND LISA RENE
JENNINGS OF KEEP NORFOLK BEAUTIFUL.
SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TWO PERFECT PEOPLE HERE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT VOLUNTEERING REALLY IS ALL ABOUT, AND HOW
THAT'S MEANINGFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHERS, AND ALSO
SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF NORFOLK.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW. >> THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> VOLUNTEERING, WE GET CALLS, I KNOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS DO FROM
PEOPLE, RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE RESIDENTS,
BUT THEY ARE JUST INTERESTED? GETTING INVOLVED AND HELPING
SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE MILITARY WOULD BE ONE OF THEM AS WELL BECAUSE OF THEIR
PRESENCE. PAMELA, THE DESIRE FOR
VOLUNTEERING IS PRETTY LARGE ONCE YOU REALLY TAP INTO IT.
>> YES, IT IS, AND THE CITY OF NORFOLK WELCOMES ANYBODY TO CALL
AND VOLUNTEER. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS
THAT PEOPLE CAN HELP THE CITY. WE HAVE, ACTUALLY CALLED
VOLUNTEER NORFOLK, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY
ENRICHMENT BUREAU AND YOU CAN KIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT BY GOING
ON NORFOLK'S WEBSITE AND GOING TO THE COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT
PAGE, BUT BASICALLY IT'S A CLEARING HOUSE FOR THE CITY, SO
ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY THAT HAVE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR VOLUNTEERS GIVE THEIR INFORMATION TO MELINDA, WHO MANS
UP THAT PROGRAM. >> AND THAT'S THE PHONE NUMBER
YOU SAW ON THE SCREEN THERE, MELINDA.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. SO YOU CAN CALL HER OR EMAIL HER
AND THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, SHE WILL CONNECT YOU WITH WHAT YOUR
INTERESTS ARE. SO YOU COULD VOLUNTEER FOR THE
PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT OR YOU COULD VOLUNTEER FOR KEEP NORFOLK
BEAUTIFUL, WHICH IS WHY WE HAPPEN TO HAVE LISA RENE HERE
AND SHE HAS A LOT OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHE CAN INTO
INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT. BEFORE SHE STARTS TALKING ABOUT
THAT, ALSO IN A MORE INFORMAL SETTING, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
JOIN THEIR CIVIC LEAGUES, OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS, SO THEY DON'T
EVEN NEED TO COME THROUGH THE CITY IF THEY DON'T WANT TO.
THEY CAN JUST LOOK AROUND THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT'S AN
INITIATIVE WE'RE ROLLING OUT, WHICH IS NEIGHBORS BUILDING
NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE
TO JUST VOLUNTEER IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY.
YOU CAN DO SOMETHING FORMAL LIKE JOIN THE CIVIC LEAGUE OR YOU CAN
DO JUST A VERY SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS.
HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR TAKE IN THEIR GARAGE CANS AT THE END OF THE
DAY. >> LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> THAT'S AN ACT OF VOLUNTEERING AS WELL.
>> THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT.
YOU'VE GIVEN US A NUMBER OF PERSPECTIVES ABOUT WHAT
VOLUNTEERING IS ALL ABOUTS A DOESN'T HAVE ONE DISTRICT
DEFINITION. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> KEEP NORFOLK BEAUTIFUL IS A CAMPAIGN IN AND OF ITSELF AND
LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING A BEAUTIFUL JOB BECAUSE WE HAVE A
BEAUTIFUL CITY. >> GREAT.
I'M GLAD YOU THINK SO. >> I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF
WORK. >> IT DOES.
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH OVER 5,000 VOLUNTEERS A
YEAR WITH KEEP NORFOLK BEAUTIFUL, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH
THE ADOPT A STOP PROGRAM, THE GREAT AMERICAN CLEAN-UP
THROUGHOUT THE SPRING, CLEAN THE BAY DAY OR FOLKS COMING IN AS
INDIVIDUALS, HELPING US AROUND THE OFFICE, FILING OR HELPING US
ORGANIZE SUPPLIES. THERE'S A LOT OF, AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, TRASH BAGS AND GLOVES INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP.
SO -- IN FACT, I'VE GOT A GREAT VOLUNTEER, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
CINDY COMING IN EVERY TUESDAY MORNING BEFORE SHE GOES TO
SCHOOL AND HELPING US WITH WHATEVER THE DAY MAY BRING FOR
US. >> AND CINDY IS A STUDENT OR
TEACHER? >> SHE'S A STUDENT GOING, HAS
GONE BACK TO SCHOOL AND IS A STUDENT AT ODU, SO IT CAN REALLY
BE AS SMALL AS THAT TO AS LARGE AS BEING A ZONE CAPTAIN FOR
CLEAN THE BAY DAY, WHICH IS ORGANIZING -- YOU ARE IN CHARGE
OF ORGANIZING OTHER VOLUNTEERS. >> THAT'S A VERY BIG EVENT.
>> IT IS, AND NORFOLK IS PROUD TO BE THE HEADQUARTERS FOR CLEAN
THE BAY DAY RIGHT HERE. >> WE HAVE A LOT OF BAY TO CLEAN
AND A LOT OF TRIBUTARIES TO. >> WE DO.
THAT'S RIGHT, A LOT OF WATER. THEY SAY THOSE THAT CAN DO, AND
THOSE THAT CAN DO MORE, VOLUNTEER.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT GOING ON. >> A RALLY AND CRY.
ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU MENTIONED ADOPT A SPOT AND WE SEE SIGNS
FOR THAT. TELL US WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE THE
SIGN ITSELF MAY NOT GIVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
>> IT MAY NOT, YOU'RE RIGHT. THE ADOPT A STOP PROGRAM, WE
HAVE ACTUALLY OVER 140 IN THE CITY CURRENTLY.
>> SPOTS IN. >> SPOTS AND STREETS.
A SPOT WOULD BE A LOCATION SO IT MAY BE A PARK OR SCHOOL GROUNDS,
WHEREAS A STREET AS MILE IN LENGTH.
THOSE FOLKS HAVE THEIR OWN GROUP, YOU SEE THEIR NAME ON
THEIR SIGN. THE MINIMUM THEY DO IS FOUR
TIMES A YEAR IN THAT SPOT OR TREAT.
>> AND WHAT DO THEY DO? >> THEY CLEAN, DO LITTER PICKUP,
SIMPLE AS THAT. WE SUPPLY THEM WITH GLOVES AND
BAGS AND THEY GO OUT USUALLY ON A SATURDAY MORNING AND CLEAN
THEIR SPOT AND THEY'RE QUITE PROUD OF IT, SO IT'S A REALLY
GREAT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY AND HELPS US OUT A LOT.
>> AND THAT'S GREAT FOR PRIDE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR NAMES
ON THE SIGN. >> AND IT'S GOOD TEAM-BUILDING
FOR WHATEVER ORGANIZATION GETS INVOLVED.
I KNOW HIGH SCHOOLS WILL DO IT AND YOU MENTIONED MILITARY, AND
LISA RENE, DON'T WE HAVE -- >> WE HAVE A LOT OF MILITARY
GROUPS THAT ADOPT A SPOT, ABSOLUTELY, AND CLEAN THE BAY.
>> CLEAN THE BAY DAY. >> ALL THROUGHOUT MANY OF THE
PROGRAMS WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FOR THE
MILITARY AND IT'S AMAZING TO ME BECAUSE THEY ALREADY DO SO MUCH,
AND THEN YET THEY COME OUT AND DO MORE.
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, I HAD 140 MEN AND WOMEN FROM THE USS HARRY
TRUMAN IN OUR ECO GARDEN AND DID A FABULOUS JOB AND WE'RE
THANKFUL TO THEM FOR DOING SO. >> THAT'S WONDERFUL.
YOU MENTIONED THE CENTER THERE, BUT WE HAVE PARKS AND -- WELL,
I'M SORRY, PARKS AND RECREATION WHAT IS MOST PEOPLE WOULD KNOW
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THERE ARE ALSO VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THAT. WOULD THAT BE MORE IN CLEAN-UP
OR WOULD IT BE WITHIN PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED?
>> I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THE VOLUNTEER DETAILS WOULD
BE, AND GE, IF YOU WENT -- AGAIN, IF YOU WENT TO, EITHER
CALLED THAT NUMBER OR WENT ON THE WEBSITE, WE COULD MATCH YOUR
SKILLS UP. I DO KNOW THERE'S VOLUNTEERS I
THINK IN THE CEMETERIES HELPING KEEP THINGS STRAIGHT THERE.
I WANTED TO MENTION ANOTHER THING TO YOU, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
VOLUNTEERISM, IT'S NOT JUST GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT ALSO BUILDS YOU UP. YOU FEEL GOOD OUT THERE HELPING
OTHERS, BUT ALSO, IT CAN HELP YOUR CAREER.
I GOT MY CAREER STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER.
>> REALLY? >> MANY YEARS AGO, VOLUNTEERING
FOR THE KOUSTEAU SOCIETY WHEN I MOVED HERE AND IT STARTED ME ON
THAT PATH AND I KNOW THAT LISA RENE STARTED HER CAREER AT KEEP
NORFOLK BEAUTIFUL AS A VOLUNTEER.
AT THIS TIME WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO GET EXPERIENCE AND JOBS ARE
HARDER TO FIND, VOLUNTEERING IS A GOOD WAY TO GET YOUR FOOT IN
THE DOOR AND LEARN SOMETHING. >> YOU ALSO MEET OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO VOLUNTEER AND PERHAPS LEARN SOMETHING TOO AND
THEY HAVE SIMILAR INTERESTS. >> RIGHT.
IT'S A GOOD NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY AND A GOOD WAY TO
EXPAND YOUR GROUP OF FRIENDS. >> ALL RIGHT.
>> SO IT'S A WIN-WIN. >> NAUTICUS, WHICH IS ANOTHER
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT MAY HAVE SOME VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND THE LIBRARY AS WELL.
>> THE LIBRARIES, SEE I -- >> AND THE REC CENTERS.
THERE WAS -- I THINK THERE'S AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER RECENTLY
ABOUT SOME WHO VOLUNTEERED AT THE LAMBUTH POINT REC CENTER FOR
A LONG TIME, MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN ALL THE CHILDREN'S
LIVES. >> AND THERE'S PLENTY OF REC
CENTERS AND THEY DO NEED MORE THAN JUST THE HELP FROM THE CITY
STAFF. THEY NEED TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY
CARE ABOUT THEM. >> SURE.
>> WHICH IS, I GUESS WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO YOU GET BACK WHAT YOU
GIVE. >> MANY TIMES OVER.
>> AND IT MAKES YOUR COMMUNITY JUST A BETTER PLACE ALSO.
I MEAN THAT, GETS BACK TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH
NEIGHBORS BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, THAT
LITTLE -- YOU PICK UP THE TRASH IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE, YOUR
NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE, AND HELP YOUR ELDERLY NEIGHBOR TAKE THEIR
GARBAGE CAN, IT'S JUST SORT OF THAT -- IT BUILDS SYNERGY AND
PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD START TAKING BETTER CARE OF EACH OTHER
AND KEEPING AN EYE ON EACH OTHER, AND I THINK IT JUST MAKES
FOR A STRONGER NEIGHBORHOOD. >> IT DOES.
AND YOU KNOW, OUR TIMES, IT SOUNDS RATHER TRITE, BUT TIMES
HAVE CHANGED AND PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORS DON'T RELATE TO ONE
ANOTHER THE WAY THEY USED TO BECAUSE OUR LIVES ARE STRUCTURED
SO DIFFERENTLY. AND THINGS HAPPEN SO QUICKLY
THAT WE CAN BECOME ISOLATED DESPITE THE FACT WE HAVE SO MANY
WAYS TO COMMUNICATE. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT WAY, WHETHER WITH THE PROGRAM ON
NEIGHBORS BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS OR THE OVERALL VOLUNTEERING
ASPECT, TO KIND OF BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN
CREATED. >> RIGHT.
>> GRADUALLY, BUT IT'S -- IT WOULD ALSO SEEM THAT THAT WOULD
MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS FEEL SAFER.
>> DEFINITELY. SAFER, AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING
YOU CAN VOLUNTEER FOR. THEY HAVE BLOCK WATCHES OR
SAFETY WATCHES, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S AN ASPECT YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN, AND AGAIN, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO THEIR
CIVIC LEAGUES OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CIVIC LEAGUE, START ONE,
AND THE CITY IS WORKING ON A PROGRAM TO HELP TEACH PEOPLE HOW
TO START A CIVIC LEAGUE. >> OR REACTIVATE YOUR CIVIC
LEAGUE IF IT HASN'T BEEN ACTIVE RECENTLY, SO WE HAVE THE TOOLS.
BASICALLY THE CITY HAS THE TOOLS TO HELP YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT TO
DO TO GET OUT THERE AND BUILD UP YOUR COMMUNITY.
>> OKAY. HOW TO START A CIVIC LEAGUE.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY IF YOUR EXCUSE FOR
NOT DOING IS "I DON'T KNOW HOW." >> RIGHT.
I WAS JUST ON A STEERING COMMITTEE LAST WEEKEND WHERE WE
STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT, WHAT SORT OF -- WHAT DO WE NEED TO
PUT IN OUR TOOLKIT THAT WE OFFER TO THE CITIZENS SO THAT WE CAN
BASICALLY HELP THEM DO THAT. AND IT'S A -- IT WAS A STEERING
COMMITTEE OF SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPANTS IN CIVIC LEAGUES
THAT CAME IN AND SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HAD JUST STARTED A
CIVIC LEAGUE AND THIS IS WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.
SOME PEOPLE HAD HAD A CIVIC LEAGUE THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON
FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT WAS A GREAT BRAINTRUST OF PEOPLE IN
THIS ROOM AND THEY ALL ARE CONTRIBUTING AND IT'S AN ONGOING
COMMITTEE WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON WHAT DO WE NEED TO PUT TOGETHER
TO HELP OUR CITIZENS HAVE A TOOLKIT, SO IF YOU ARE IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOESN'T HAVE A STRONG CIVIC LEAGUE, HERE'S HOW
YOU GET IT GOING. >> OKAY.
GREAT TO KNOW. >> KEEP NORFOLK BEAUTIFUL HAS
ITS PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT? >> WE'RE GEARING UP FOR PLANNING
FOR SPRING ALREADY, ACTUALLY. >> WAIT A MINUTE NOW.
>> IT'S A HUGE UNDERTAKING. WE ALWAYS HAVE A KEEP NORFOLK
BEAUTIFUL DAY NORMALLY AROUND THE EARTH DAY TIME, SO WE'RE
ALREADY STARTING TO PLAN AND LOOK TO THAT.
AND WE TOO CAN TEACH. IF YOU'VE NEVER HAD A CLEAN-UP
BEFORE OR ADOPT A SPOT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE'LL TEACH
YOU HOW TO DO IT, SAFETY TRAINING, THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO
DO IT. ALL YOU NEED IS THE DESIRE AND
WE CAN HELP YOU. >> WOW, AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
IS CALL THIS NUMBER AND MELINDA WILL ANSWER THE PHONE AND STEER
YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THEY MAY -- SHE MAY ALSO BE ABLE
TO FILL YOU IN ON SOME OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED HERE BECAUSE I THINK
THERE PROBABLY ARE MORE THAN WE CAN POSSIBLY FIND TIME TO TALK
ABOUT. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> BUT JUST BRINGING UP THE SUBJECT IS GREAT, AND I THINK A
LOT OF PEOPLE COULD START, YOU KNOW, THINGS CAN START WHIRLING
AROUND THEIR HEADS, WHAT COULD I DO, WHY DON'T I CALL AND ASK.
>> YES. >> WELL, GREAT.
GOOD LUCK ON THE NEXT SPRING, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE TO START
EARLY WITH ALL OF THAT, AND PAMELA, I KNOW THAT THE
VOLUNTEER EFFORT WILL -- IT WILL BE NICE TO HAVE PEOPLE TO BE
ABLE TO GO TO A PLACE AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT CAN I DO?
>> RIGHT. >> WELL, CALL AND FIND OUT MORE.
AND WE KNOW THAT WILL PROBABLY GROW WITH TIME BECAUSE
VOLUNTEERS ARE A VERY NECESSARY PART OF KEEPING OUR WHOLE
COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY
FOR EVERYTHING. >> NO.
>> BUT SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL
THAT PEOPLE HAVE. >> AND THE CONNECTIONS.
>> YES. ABSOLUTELY, THE CONNECTIONS ARE
PROBABLY KEY TO EVERYTHING. >> YES.
>> THANKS FOR COMING ABOARD AND SHARING THOSE.
GREAT INFORMATION. >> THANKS FOR HAVING US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME. BYE.
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