It’s Volunteer Day! Today, we recognize and thank our network of volunteers here at Alvis. Our volunteers are the bedrock of our activities, programs, and events. Without them, many special experiences for our clients would not even be possible.
This Volunteer Day, we acknowledge how COVID-19 has significantly impacted Alvis and the volunteers who care about our clients. Volunteers—you have been truly amazing and generous with your help this year! Our entire team is in awe and completely grateful for your support.
Normally, our dedicated volunteers would be leading art classes, tutoring clients, playing games with the guys in our DD program, teaching music, mentoring individuals in recovery, stopping by and saying hello… the list goes on! Unfortunately, we are not in-person and indoors this year. But that doesn’t mean that volunteering has stopped. In fact, it’s increasing! We just had to get a little creative.
We are outdoors, we are remote, and we are virtual with our volunteer opportunities, with the central purpose of keeping our Alvis community safe. And despite these necessary added safety measures imposed by our leadership, volunteers have remained connected to our clients.
These volunteers have taught the ladies in our CHAT and Amethyst programs yoga, both outdoors and virtually, providing our clients with peace, hope, and an added focus on their own recovery.
Virtually, volunteers have also engaged with clients over coffee and conversations, Bible studies and religious studies, blog pieces, and the HIRE Program.
Local organizations like KPMG, Women 2 Women, Alpha Phi Omega at OSU, Mount Leadership Society Scholars at OSU, Besa, and Columbus Gives Back have allowed us to pull off some awesome projects and events.
Volunteers registered vehicles, c,ollected contact cards, and served as friendly faces for our first ever Drive-In version of Portraits of Recovery. Volunteers also passed out candy at our very first Halloween Trunk or Treat for our DD clients. Events like these allowed us to socially distance and congregate outside, so clients and staff could embrace what makes us Alvis—the people. Our volunteers made these events possible. We would not have been able to make these events happen without the support from our friends in the community.
At the same time, not all of our friends are in the Columbus area. Some do not even reside in Ohio! Our Holiday Cheer Initiative as allowed us to connect our clients to caring people everywhere. This Worldwide Volunteer Network has support from all corners of the globe, including Bali, Austria, South Africa, Kuwait, Australia, Brazil, and Switzerland, as well as other places in the U.S., like Florida, California, Illinois, Wisconsin, and New York.
We are so thankful for the added cheer during these challenging times, whether it’s through virtual caroling, beautiful holiday crafts and cards, baked goods, or stocking stuffers.
2020 has been a very hard year. But a bright light that shines through the darkness is our outpouring support from volunteers.
Happy Holidays! Thank you all! And see you next year!