The morning waves off Surfer’s Point and fresh brewed coffee in the Crowne Plaza’s Top of the Harbor Room were doing a good job of waking up the Surfrider Tribe after a night spent exploring Ventura’s Old Town.
SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti were still talking about the chipotle bow-tie pasta and blackened salmon they had for dinner at the Savory Café and Bakery.
It was fun meeting Surfrider members from other California chapters at the party at Zoey’s… and watching Tony Soriano snag pizzas off passing waiters’ trays. Like magic, he would just reach out and…presto…there was a pizza.
Since Zoey’s is near the San Buenaventura Mission in the center of town we made sure to get in some sight-seeing.
Now, with steaming coffee-cups in hand, fresh tropical fruit and pastries, we were eager to hear what Sunday’s Special Guest Speaker, Mary Coleman, had to say about “Managing Volunteer Stress.”
Coleman, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, is a Surfrider Foundation member and on the board of Five Gyres. She’s also the sister of Stuart Coleman, Surfrider’s Hawaii Coordinator.
Coleman emphasized that, as volunteers, “It’s important for us to know that we’re doing the best we can.” Sometimes we get too hard on ourselves and engage in “negative self-talk,” rather than thinking about all the things we can do and are accomplishing.
We also need to make time to be “present in the moment,” Coleman advised, focusing on ourselves and our surroundings in a relaxed and “mindful” way that filters out stress and distractions. To show us what this would feel like, Coleman led the group in a meditation exercise.
Anyone can do it…Just close your eyes, breathe deeply, envision a tranquil beach with breaking waves, palm trees highlighted against the sun…and let your thoughts drift…
Another factor that will reduce volunteer stress, said Coleman, is “good leadership.” Leaders in each chapter need to inspire volunteers and be able to empathize with them. It’s critical for volunteers to know that their work is valued and that their concerns are heard.
Coleman offered these Stress Reduction Tips:
· Ask for help
· Be prepared
· Get organized
· Know your limits – delegate
· Communicate well in advance – email is best
· Find people who are passionate about your cause
· Know your volunteers – don’t burn them out
· Involve your staff
· Let volunteers know they are important
· Recognize volunteers publicly
Last of all, Coleman said, “Do all you can, in the time you have, and the place you are.”
The rest of the afternoon was spent in Round Table discussions talking about Surfrider’s Core Advocacy Issues.
In the “Meetings Matter” group Tony Soriano said, “It’s the Chair’s job to cover everything. Look at your agenda. Make sure you allocate time for each point. Everybody’s got passion… and their own story to tell. Make time to talk to Core Volunteers.”
Jeff Coffman and Sarah Damron got together in the "RAP" group and talked strategy. “You need to know your audience – whether it’s a child or a city councilman,” said Coffman, noting that a 7-year-old girl got involved in the beach cleanups.
We touched base with Alan Hopper, Surfrider’s Director of IT, to find out more about effective blogging techniques. His advice: “Cultivate loyal readership, not just numbers.” We definitely agree.
An Open Forum followed, focusing on the resources, tools and services available to get Surfrider’s message out to the public. This was the perfect opportunity for us to tell everyone about our blog SurfWriter Girls.
As the day wound down it was time for us to grab our bags – filled with new T-shirts and beach cleanup bags from the various chapters – and run to catch Amtrack’s Surfliner train back to OC.
We both had lots to think about and new stories to share with our readers.
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