Volunteer Recruitment Meeting

Wednesday night we are hosting a Volunteer Recruitment Meeting. This meeting will be the cornerstone of recruiting volunteers to help with our mission at DMS. People always have questions about this though. So we decided to do a Q&A about  what it means to volunteer with DMS.

What does a volunteer do?

Volunteers help us to attain our goals and objectives.  Main Street is always looking for volunteers, no matter how big or small the contribution.  If you are able to make phone calls to remind    people about meetings or check on information, there’s a spot for you.  If you are not able to make regular meetings, but want to be involved in Main Street, perhaps you have a few days a year to assist with events.

Why volunteer?

It is satisfying to do useful work that benefits one’s town . Volunteering offers many benefits and opportunities for the people who participate.  People volunteer for a wide variety of reasons, especially wanting to help others. Think of volunteering as an exchange.  Today you may be the person with the ability to help but tomorrow you may be the recipient of someone else’s volunteer effort.

What are the expectations of volunteering at an event?

All volunteers represent Dixon Main Street, because of this we encourage you to reflect the mission of Main Street. We discourage smoking and the consumption of alcohol while volunteering. To serve alcohol at an event, you must be 21 years of age or older. 

To whom do I report?

Most of the events are planned by a committee.  You will report to your committee chair for questions, task details and schedule. The volunteer will be working with the Dixon Main Street  Marketing and Events Coordinators to make sure resources and ideas are being channeled in the right direction.  He or she will offer suggestions, expertise and follow up to committee activities, as well as represent Main Street to other entities. 

How are the budgets implemented?

Budgets for each activity are developed prior to the event, and must be followed as closely as possible. Rarely are you required to make a purchase.  Should that occur,  please check with your committee chair and retain the receipt.  An example of this would be picking up ice at the store.  

Do I have to keep track of hours?

YES! Tracking hours can show the level of commitment to our organization and the level of  your investment in downtown.  You will be given “volunteer hour” forms in order to keep track of your hours.  Only you know how many hours you donate.  We ask that you log into our volunteer log when you are doing any volunteer work.

How do I stay in touch with the needs of Dixon Main Street?

Most communication will be done through the internet. The Dixon Main Street Volunteer Group on Facebook will have postings of opportunities to  give back to your community. If you have not already done so,  please make sure to add yourself to the group and like our page at Facebook.com/DixonMainStreet. We also have a monthly newsletter that will keep you informed the current event calendar. 

 

Still have questions? Call us! Our phone number is 815-288-2308. 

Can't make it to the meeting? That's okay fill out this volunteer form and email it to us at riverfrontdixon@gmail.com or drop it by the office at 115 South Hennepin Avenue.