Part 5 - What I've learned in my first six months as NRA Field Rep

Greetings,

It has been a while since I posted anything.  My fall banquet season is up and running.  We had four events in the past three weeks, and after a couple of weekends without one, will have six in another three week period.  Life is good ... busy, but good. 

There are a few more things I'd like to say about our wonderful Colorado Friends of NRA volunteers, and this will wrap up the series.  We have now completed 17 of our 25 events for 2011.  We are nearing the $500,000 net dollar amount, and things are really rolling.  The people have been great.  Even in this 'depressed' economy, their giving continues steady.  Nationally, our program is up over 4% from last year.  When the going gets tough, people stop giving randomly, and support the charities they REALLY believe in.  It speaks very highly of the Friends program that we are doing so well when others are not.  People are letting their money do the talking for them, and we are extrememely grateful!

The committee members who have stuck with this program through the tough times are tolerant, flexible, and patient people.  At every banquet, things go wrong.  Volunteers don't show up.  Credit card machines don't work.  The microphone cuts out.  The food is overcooked or cold.  An item is damaged and cannot be used.  The Rep has her gall bladder removed the day before the event and another volunteer has to fill in.  (Thankfully, this only happened once, and the volunteer did a great job!)  Our committee members just go with the flow ... they roll with the punches ... they take it as it comes and make it work.  As my mom says, "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape." 

No matter what goes wrong behind the scenes at a banquet, we try hard to make sure that the attendees are not affected by it.  Generally, they have no idea that there were 'issues' that had to be solved.  They say they had a great time and agree to come back next year.  That is quite a testament to our volunteers.  Way to go!

I am blessed to work side by side with caring, friendly, patriotic, generous, driven, focused, hard-working people of great integrity.  It just doesn't get any better than this.  I love my job! 

God Bless you, and God Bless America!
~Gwen