2023-02 From the President: Getting involved in UMRA

For the first few years after I joined UMRA, I attended a few luncheon forums and didn’t do anything else with the organization. Then the Cares/Workshop Committee advertised for help with a survey. I did surveys in my work at the University, so I volunteered. After the project was done, I was invited to join the committee and got involved in planning workshops. That led to becoming chair of the committee, then becoming chair of the Program Committee, and then becoming president. 

So, why did I wind up going deeper with UMRA? A couple of reasons come to mind. First, it’s fun! I wouldn’t do it if it weren't. I’m now friends with a number of people I might never have met otherwise. There’s a pleasant camaraderie that comes with shared work. And UMRA members are generally interesting people who are fun to hang around with. My kind of folks.

My second reason is that working with UMRA is an enriching volunteer opportunity. Working on our programs, I’ve had the satisfaction of doing something that’s worthwhile and appreciated. And I’m learning new things and stretching my skill set. The things I’ve been doing over the past couple years are pretty much unrelated to anything I did in my work at the University; it has been challenging and rewarding to plunge into doing new things.

Consider this your invitation!

We know that people are most likely to get involved in something when they’re invited. So, consider this your invitation! Organizations do best when they have a mix of long-term members and newer people doing the work.

We have our committees that set programs and policies: the Program Committee, the Communication & Outreach Committee, and the Membership Committee. They look for new members at the start of each year.

But I’d like to make a special plea for our work teams, the folks who actually put on our programs and make the organization run. All of them could use more people to help get their jobs done. The Zoom webinar team needs help coordinating speaker schedules and production details. The hosting team needs help managing reservations for our in-person events and welcoming attendees. The in-person technical team needs help setting up AV equipment and recording our in-person programs. The membership team needs help with managing our membership data and mailings. The UMRA Cares team needs help preparing condolence cards and remembrances in honor of deceased members. The Volunteer Center needs clerical help.

Lots of needs and lots of ways to volunteer. If you might be interested in getting a little more involved in UMRA, just shoot me a note at [email protected]. 

—Ron Matross, UMRA president