Camp Twin Lakes is a unique nonprofit organization near Atlanta providing life-changing camp experiences to thousands of children with serious illnesses, disabilities and challenges each year.Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Michelle Krebs, Community Relations Manager for Camp Twin Lakes, Atlanta, GA.
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Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs.
Camp Twin Lakes is a network of camps providing life-changing experiences for thousands of Georgia’s kids with serious illnesses, disabilities and other challenges. We collaborate with over 40 special needs organizations (we call them Camp Partners), each serving a different population, in order to create customized camping programs for their kids. In addition to providing fully-accessible campsites, specially trained staff, and camping knowledge and expertise, Camp Twin Lakes subsidizes 70% of the cost per person to attend the camp.
We have various fundraising events throughout the year to help us reach our financial goals. Each event requires volunteer support, which translates into hundreds of volunteers each year. We also use volunteers to help out with administrative tasks in the office as well as work projects at our campsites.
How did you get started as a volunteer leader?
As recently as five years ago, Camp Twin Lakes had a very short list of volunteers that it pulled from. Through the efforts of various staff members, we have built a list that has grown exponentially. When I joined the CTL team in May, 2006, we had a new event that required nearly 1,000 volunteers. This volunteer recruitment effort grew our list in a huge way. It also gave me the opportunity to get to know a lot of our volunteers. I took over full responsibility for volunteer management in December, 2007 and continue to cultivate these relationships on an ongoing basis.
What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?
Leaders: Get to know your volunteers. They are wonderful, caring, talented people. You never know what a strong volunteer relationship might lead to. They may have friends who could volunteer, or have skills that you never knew about and could help your organization in new and different ways. The more they enjoy their volunteer experience, the greater the probability that they’ll also become strong, loyal donors. Either way, you are their connection, so if they feel connected to you, they’ll feel connected to the organization (and they’ll keep coming back!).
Make sure you are well organized and ready to put your volunteers to work right when they first arrive. Always thank your volunteers -- they are giving up their time to help you and you should always appreciate their time and dedication to your organization.
Volunteers: Get to know your organization. There may be so much more to it than you are exposed to through your volunteer opportunities. You are an important part of an organization’s network and you can help them grow their circle of support. Recruit your friends to come with you -- it's more fun working alongside your friends and the organization can always use extra hands.
Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?
Before discovering VolunteerSpot, every volunteer who wanted to sign up had to send me an email. I typically had to respond with questions clarifying which shift they wanted, and then wait for a response. Finally, I would send an email confirming that they were signed up. Multiply this process by hundreds of volunteers each year, and I wouldn’t have time for anything else! In the fall of 2009, for example, we had 200 volunteers between August and October. I can’t begin to imagine the time it would have taken me to sign up each volunteer manually. I had been looking for an online sign-up system that would automate this process, while also keeping our volunteers’ information private. I was thrilled when one of our volunteers told me about VolunteerSpot! VolunteerSpot has made my life so much easier, and allows me to focus on other responsibilities.
Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your organization or volunteering?
Camp Twin Lakes is immensely grateful for our volunteers. We could not carry out our mission or reach our goals without their support, and I’m sure that we share that sentiment with other nonprofits. So to all volunteers out there: THANK YOU! Thank you for your selfless and generous gifts of time! Thank you for helping to make the world a better place.
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To support or find out more about Camp Twin Lakes, visit their website here. We salute Michelle Krebbs and all the volunteer heroes out there supporting our communities! If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected]
