Happy New Year! I am honored to be serving as your Board President for 2022. Many thanks to Megan Vixie for all she has done to strengthen internal structures and systems, setting a firm foundation for AL!VE to grow and thrive. AL!VE wouldn’t be what it is without the hard work of all of our current and former Board members and volunteers who share their time and expertise, and from whom I’ve learned so much over my past four years on the board.
As the Executive team and Board meet for planning sessions in the coming month to set our goals and priorities for the year, I invite you to reach out Board members and share what you’d like to see in 2022. I also encourage you to consider how you can be involved as a volunteer to foster networking and collaboration, promote professional development, and provide advocacy for leaders in the field.  Learn more about current opportunities and complete a volunteer application to let us know what skills you’d like to share and how you’d like to grow as a leader.
I look forward volunteering alongside you this year!
Michelle

New to AL!VE or just want to check in?  

Find out what's happening or get a quick fix of networking with your peers! New members will get a brief overview of our mission, benefits, activities and committees.

Register to attend an upcoming webinar from our calendar:
January 19, 1 PM Eastern
March 3, Noon Eastern
April 12, 3 PM Eastern
May 25, 1 PM Eastern
June 28, 3 PM Eastern
August 4, Noon Eastern
September 21, 1 PM Eastern
November 2, 3 PM Eastern
December 8, Noon Eastern 

Points of Light Conference Proposals Accepted Jan 4 - Jan 21 

The new year is coming, and with it, a new opportunity to be part of the Points of Light Conference. The presenter call for proposals will open Jan. 4 and run through Jan. 21. We invite you to be part of the magic! 
Learn More >>
  
 

Colleen Loftus
Join Date: 12/07/2021

Terriann Thommes
Join Date: 12/07/2021

Denice Fischer
Join Date: 12/13/2021

Brandon Owens Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Madison Wilkins Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Katherin Um Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Kara Sparkman Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Angelina Plesnarski Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Jacqueline Bauer Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Michele Wiesner Hire Heroes USA
Join Date: 12/16/2021

Lisa Brinkerhoff
Join Date: 12/20/2021

Lindsey Percival
Join Date: 12/20/2021

Sarah Berna City of Dubuque Americorps
Join Date: 12/21/2021

Kathy Halstead
Join Date: 12/22/2021

Nola Litwins
Join Date: 12/22/2021

Eugina Scoggins
Join Date: 12/29/2021

Deborah Wilson
Join Date: 01/03/2022

Sarah Gagnon
Join Date: 01/03/2022

Bianca Herrera
Join Date: 01/10/2022

Julie Greene
Join Date: 01/10/2022

Jennifer Roers
Join Date: 01/12/2022

Elaine Mew
Join Date: 01/12/2022
 

Lend or develop your skills to an AL!VE Committee!  Time commitment usually entails one meeting a month, with 1-2 hours working independently on a project or with a team.  Volunteering with AL!VE looks great on a resume! 
There are openings for new members on these committees:

• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (committee member)
• Marketing (Social Media, Outreach, Special Projects)
• ​Membership (New Member Calls, Regional Outreach, Special Projects)
• Finance (Oversight and fundraising, grant research)
• Community of Practice Facilitators
• HR & Policy (set Association policies, volunteer engagement)   

Visit our volunteer page to apply and get started!

Sheila Bradley
Renewal Date: 12/10/2021

Faith Brummet
Renewal Date: 01/08/2022

Barbara Chapman
Renewal Date: 01/07/2022

CIAVA
Renewal Date: 12/10/2021

Kelli Crawford
Renewal Date: 12/23/2021

Dina Schubert DuPage County Animal Services
Renewal Date: 12/07/2021

Gina Edwards
Renewal Date: 01/08/2022

Michele Epifani
Renewal Date: 01/03/2022

Melissa Forero
Renewal Date: 12/23/2021

Jessica Garretson
Renewal Date: 12/23/2021

Jennifer McBroom Gracelane U Southern Iowa RSVP
Renewal Date: 12/15/2021

Philip Hamilton
Renewal Date: 01/08/2022

Amy Clark Henry County RSVP
Renewal Date: 12/15/2021

Amy Howe
Renewal Date: 12/09/2021

Tobi Johnson
Renewal Date: 12/17/2021

Shelly Kaiser
Renewal Date: 01/01/2022

Angela Kofoot
Renewal Date: 12/31/2021

Rachel Krempasky
Renewal Date: 12/13/2021

Keji Kujjo
Renewal Date: 01/02/2022

Heather M Lee
Renewal Date: 12/14/2021

Allison Schwartz MCDVS
Renewal Date: 12/11/2021

Betsy McFarland
Renewal Date: 12/14/2021

Melinda Messenger
Renewal Date: 01/09/2022

Shaina Goldberg NYAVA
Renewal Date: 01/06/2022

Deana Hageman Oneota Volunteer Coordinators
Renewal Date: 12/31/2021

Karla Bakken Oneota Volunteer Coordinators
Renewal Date: 12/31/2021

Anne Owens
Renewal Date: 01/02/2022

Sarah Philippe
Renewal Date: 12/10/2021

Rosland Powell
Renewal Date: 12/17/2021

Michelle Hull RSVP 55+ Vol Prog Boone & Greene Ct
Renewal Date: 12/15/2021

Lynee Burken RSVP of Clinton County
Renewal Date: 12/15/2021

Molly Anderegg RSVP of North Central Iowa
Renewal Date: 12/31/2021

Liz Johnson San Diego Humane Society
Renewal Date: 12/17/2021

Yerlina Santos
Renewal Date: 01/11/2022

Heather Satterly
Renewal Date: 12/31/2021

Heidi Shannon
Renewal Date: 01/02/2022

Katharine Swilley
Renewal Date: 12/12/2021

Jessica Tierney
Renewal Date: 12/18/2021

Jennifer Thompson TulsALIVE
Renewal Date: 12/27/2021

Janessa Weightman United Way of East Central Iowa
Renewal Date: 12/15/2021

Brittany Appleton United Way of East Central Iowa
Renewal Date: 12/15/2021

Patti Fields United Way Volunteer Center
Renewal Date: 12/28/2021

Kevin Engle-Cartie Volunteer Siouxland
Renewal Date: 12/28/2021

Jean Ward
Renewal Date: 12/05/2021

Janessa Weightman
Renewal Date: 12/01/2021

Eric Wood
Renewal Date: 12/18/2021

Christopher Woods
Renewal Date: 12/17/2021

Adrienne Yoe
Renewal Date: 12/24/2021

Marie Zoromski
Renewal Date: 12/31/2021
 

We are here for you! Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@volunteeralive.org or visit our website at www.volunteeralive.org.  While you are there, you can also:

• Read the latest news about the profession

• Submit a calendar or news item

• Check out the resources page

• Find volunteer opportunities

• ...and more!

Facebook: @Volunteeralive
Twitter: @VolunteerALIVE​
Instagram: @Volunteeralive
LinkedIn: View profile here

Emerging Leaders Mentor Program
April - September 2022
 

AL!VE is dedicated to the professional growth and development of leaders in volunteer engagement. The purpose of the Emerging Leaders Mentor Program is to provide a platform for AL!VE members to connect, share best practices and position themselves as leaders in the field through ongoing professional development and skills building. Participants will be paired with AL!VE Mentors to receive individualized coaching and support as well as monthly mentee peer sessions pertaining to leadership development topics.

For more information about this program, commitments and requirements, etc., please visit our website here. Mentorship will commence during the months of April - September 2022.

If interested in serving as a mentor, complete the mentor questionnaire here.

Applications for mentees will open in February, 2022.

Some highlights from our 2021 Member Survey 

• 4.7 out of 5 for likely to recommend AL!VE
• 98% likely to renew membership
• 96% say value matches fee
• 90% participated in an AL!VE Academy
• 75% participated in a Community of Practice
• More than 50% accessed our library of resources, calendar and IJOVA
• 50% particpated in the Mentor Program

Want to see more?  View our Annual Report here: 

These monthly professional development webinars are available FREE to all AL!VE members, including Local Association memberships.  These sessions are recorded, and the slide deck & recording can be accessed on the members only side of our website.  From the member menu, choose 'Resources' tab and then File Archive. We look forward to listening, learning, and continuing the conversation with all of you!



Appreciating Volunteer Management as a Step on Your Career Ladder
Presenter:  Mary Beth Harrington
January 26, 2022 @ 2pm E, 90 min
Visit the registration page for more details and to reserve your spot today!


Sticky Situations: Marketing and Media Magic for Volunteer Engagement
Presenter:  Dana Litwin, CVA
February 25, 2022 @ 2 PM E, 75 min
For event details and to reserve your spot, visit the registration page today!

The Transformational Role of Volunteer Engagement Professionals
Presenter:  Becca Hand, MPA, CVA
March 17, 2022 @ Noon Eastern, 60 min 
*registration coming soon*

Welcome back as we begin 2022 with a new slate of professional development webinars that are available FREE to all AL!VE members, including Local Association memberships. 

As an added benefit this year, exclusively for our AL!VE members, we will now be hosting a “Continuing the Conversation'' discussion with our speakers for 48 hours after their presentation. This will be available only on our AL!VE LinkedIn Group page which you may join here: AL!VE LinkedIn Group Page.  We encourage you to ask the speakers follow up questions and engage in discussions with your peers.

This group page is different than our association site page which is here: Association of Leaders In Volunteer Engagement. 

Be sure to join both to get the most of your AL!VE membership!
 

Impact Evaluation: Data that Matters and Creating the Right Story  will be the theme for the 2022 Hybrid Conference.  Broadcast October 18 or 19,  host sites will be able to live stream our conference presenters to a live or remote audience, facilitated again this year by Faiza Venzant, CVA. 

More information will be available in the February newsletter.  Registration will open May 2022.  If you'd like to be on the mailing list to receive updates, sign up here.

Timeline for the 2022 Conference:

April  2022:  Speakers announced
May 2022:  Registration opens
October 18 - Pacific & Mountain Broadcast
October19 - Central & Eastern Broadcast
 

Join a Community of Practice!
The AL!VE Communities of Practice (COP) Program is designed to give AL!VE members  networking and educational opportunities within their field of expertise. Led by  AL!VE  members and field experts, it is a time to share experiences, resources and  recommendations with fellow AL!VE members. If you'd like to lead a COP in an area not listed below, contact us!

For more information about each COP, visit our COP webpage. Please register for the COP you want to attend via our calendar. 

Upcoming COP Dates:

1/20 @ 12pm E, Parks & Recreation
1/24 @ 2pm E, Early Childhood Education
1/27 @ 2pm E, Emergency Response
2/1 @ 3pm E, Food Banks
2/9 @3pm E, Advisory Boards and Committees
2/15 @2pm E, Rural Communities

BIG thank you to the COP Facilitators who work hard to manage the logistics,  resources, and content for each COP and make sure each conversation is meaningful and helpful for participants. Thank you for your service!

We are excited to announce the winners of the 2021 Impact Awards. There were two categories; Emerging Leaders, who are made up of individuals’ with 1-7 years experience in the field, and Exemplary Leaders, with more than 7 years experience. Each of the recipients are receiving a cash award that they can use for professional development. 

Emerging Leader Category: 
1st Place: Brittany McGarry, CVA, Volunteer Engagement Specialist, National MS Society
2nd Place: Tim Suda, CVA, DIsaster Workforce Engagement Manager, American Red Cross
3rd Place: Morgan Green-Griffin, CVA, Librarian, City of Coppell-Cozby Library Community Coordinator
Honorable Mention: Karlene Kuhn

Exemplary Leader Category:
1st Place: Marcia Hale, CVA, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, Hollsboro Public Library
2nd Place: Carrie Hart, CVA, Manager, Volunteer Services, Bayhealth
3rd Place: Kathyrn Hampton, CVA, Volunteer Services Coordinator, Idaho Parks & Recreation
Honorable Mention: Cathy Thoma and Rose Morgan

Local Associations National Summit   
The second annual national summit for Local Associations of Volunteer Engagement Professionals (DOVIA's, AVA's etc) took place November 4.  

Thank you to everyone who attended.  We had 34 local associations represented this year, and the group had roundtable discussions on topics such as succession planning, working with partners, financial management, and more.  A full recap will be sent to all attendees in December. 

Professional Development for Local Association Leadership 

Our Quarterly Professional Development Topics for 2022 will be:
1st Quarter:  Calling In VS Calling Out:  Diversifying your board  (Date TBA, March)
2nd Quarter:  Developing Your Board (Date TBA - June)
3rd Quarter:  Strategic Planning for your Local Association  (Date TBA - September)
4th Quarter:  Local Associations National Summit November 3, 2022

If your Local Association (DOVIA, AVA, DOVS, etc) is an AL!VE Local Association member, or if you belong to a Local Association, please read and pass along these updates!  For more information about joining AL!VE as a Local Association, learn more here. 

In addition, check these additional benefits to AL!VE local association members.

AL!VE Member Adrienne Potter Yoe,CVA, is the Volunteer Manager at the Maryland SPCA. Adrienne is passionate about connecting with other leaders of volunteers and is the co-founder of the Association for Leaders in Volunteer Engagement’s Animal Welfare Community of Practice. Adrienne also serves as a Jewish educator at Har Sinai Oheb Shalom Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland. 

9 Ways to Honor Betty White’s Legacy of Caring for Animals 
If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve likely seen the national uproar of sadness at the death of beloved actress Betty White. In addition to her witty personality, Betty White left a legacy of loving, caring for, and advocating on behalf of animals. White was a former trustee and the president emerita of the Morris Animal Foundation and was a member of the board of directors of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. 
According to Dr. Rob Hilsenroth, the former Morris Animal Foundation Executive Director and friend of Betty White, “Betty, always put the animals first. In the 1990s, she suggested pain management should be an area of future research and funded the first few studies. Today, if a veterinarian performs an elective surgery, like a spay or neuter without using pain management, she/he could face a malpractice charge. You can thank Betty White for that revolutionary change in the way we practice all phases of veterinary medicine today.”
In response to the loss of this beloved actress, the #BettyWhiteChallenge asks fans

Volunteering with AL!VE in a Committee Role is a great way to:

• Develop Leadership Skills

• Contribute to the Profession

• Create New Connections

• Nourish Skills

• Earn PDU's for CVA recertification

• ---and more!

Committee work usually consists of a monthly meeting and 2-4 hours of additional time per month for committee related projects.  

There are openings for new members on these committees:

• Marketing (Social Media, Outreach, Special Projects)
• ​Membership (New Member Calls, Regional Outreach, Special Projects)
• Finance (Oversight and fundraising, grant research)
• Community of Practice Facilitators   

Interested?  Check out our website information, then apply.  We'll be in touch to connect with you right away about how to get started!  

For AL!VE Members with a full membership, you now have access to a great new member benefit:  

Announcing the Portfolio Manager!

Did you miss our November webinar about Overcoming Hustle Culture?  DOVIA - LA is hosting a similar session and invites AL!VE members to attend at no cost on Friday, January 21 at 9:30 AM Pacific time.  Check it out! 
'The Volunteer Management Hustle: Sustainable Mental Health Strategies to Prevent Burnout & Build Resilience in 2022'    Find out more and register here.