Reading the headlines as this issue goes to press in July, I can't help but despair that our politicians in Washington — unable to find common ground after months of wrangling over a national debt-ceiling deal — have simply lost the spirit of working together for a common cause. How refreshing, in contrast, to find a great story to tell about hundreds of people banding together to build something of benefit to all — and doing it without even getting paid.
These are the more than 500 volunteers who are behind the success of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League's biennial convention. Volunteers plan and manage every aspect of the group's complex convention, which drew nearly 5,000 attendees to Peoria, Ill., in June. The event involved 25 hotels, complex ground logistics, a 50,000-square-foot exhibit program, speakers, entertainment, and much more. How does LWML generate such a great volunteer response? Here are five quick tips from our feature (page 16) on the meeting.
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Cast your net far and wide: The LWML relies on a variety of sources to generate volunteer interest — from the host district's Web site, to local church meetings and retreats, newsletters, and of course, word of mouth.
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Reward and recognize volunteers: LWML volunteers are given a discount on registration and special seating at the following biennial convention.
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Establish a well-defined organizational structure for getting things done: LWML's host committee consists of five departments, each headed by a department coordinator overseeing various committee chairs. Each department has a well-defined domain of responsibilities and timelines.
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Utilize the body of knowledge from previous conventions: LWML keeps what worked and changes what didn't.
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Pick a city where the convention bureau is willing to be part of your team, and take advantage of all the expertise at the bureau. In Peoria, the CVB not only provided funding for the group's shuttle program, it had staff on site helping people to find their buses and to board them.
LWML's story is one we can all learn from — even politicians.
