Finding Balance

Struggling a bit with balance this week, especially with my volunteer commitments. It's a busy time for the Animal Protection Society of Rockingham County. We're looking at what would be involved in launching a formal adoption program, brainstorming fundraising ideas for the coming year, transporting animals to safe shelters and spay/neuter clinics, drawing up our financial plan for the new fiscal year, staying on top of current events with letters to county commissioners, looking at candidates for our board, establishing donation locations for pet food drop-offs around the county and the list goes on.

I've already devoted over 10 hours this week to APSRC work and I'm still not done. That seems like a lot but I suspect my hours are on the low end of what other members/board members are putting in. It's a challenge, because I fully believe in and support the mission of the organization and if we don't do the work, it won't get done. And yet... it's a huge time and energy drain. Especially when I have "real" work and my own creative writing to get to.

I've got a weekend full of work to do for the society and then I'm going to have to call a halt on my active engagement for a bit. The amount of work makes me realize we really need to have a membership drive and recruit new volunteers to help shoulder the load. 

On the "isn't the Universe great" side, our group is in need of a volunteer bookkeeper/accountant and I met a woman at this morning's Western Rockingham Chamber event who is an accountant, loves animals, and said she'd be thrilled to work with our group. I love it when a plan comes together.

I also chatted with the Executive Director for Communities In School and he got me excited about the idea of volunteering some time to work with high school kids in a new program they're launching. I haven't committed yet but it sounds interesting and I'm a sucker for a cause. =) 

Who needs free time anyway?

Cheers,

Dena