Greetings fellow volunteers,
This month I want to welcome our newest group of volunteers! As of Sunday, June 25, 2017, we now have a total of 154 VEVs! Sixteen new volunteers finished their basic training and are now filling volunteer time-slots in the Box Office, the Design Studio, and in the Atrium as Exhibit Hosts. Some may also be helping out at the Hancock Building as 360 Sky Guides.
A big shout out to Caroline Duda for coordinating all the interviewing and training of these new VEVs. She has surpassed expectations, and I’m confident she’ll continue to encourage and guide new VEVs into our ranks. In fact, in August she has another mini-training scheduled for interested individuals who couldn’t make the June training.
I am sure we can all remember the hesitation we felt during our first few shifts. Let’s continue to introduce ourselves to each other and be open to answering any questions or concerns, no matter how trivial it may seem. Things fall into place quickly when we help each other out.
We have the busiest season in front of us now, as well as the dog days of summer! If you usually volunteer on one particular day, maybe switch it up a bit and try adding an additional time slot. Weekend help is always appreciated, when many guests are downtown for various festivals and activities.
Also, the Chicago Architecture Biennial will be opening in September and will run until January of 2018. Once again CAF is going to a Signature Education Partner and is developing “an ambitious initiative for introducing young people to architecture. CAF will host a wide variety of innovative programs downtown and in Chicago’s neighborhoods – including field trips, teen studios, a design competition, and family guide resources – for students from Chicago Public Schools. CAF’s new program also introduces two Community Festival days for families with children ages 6-12 and expands teacher trainings to include the City Colleges of Chicago in order to reach 15,000 young people in 2017.” For VEVs this translates into many volunteer opportunities! For more information check out the Biennial website: http://chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org/
One last thing – don’t forget to sign up for this month’s VEV event; a “Drinks & Design” experience in the Design Studio is scheduled for Thursday, July 13 at 5 pm, and if you haven’t already done so, RSVP to Caroline!
See you in the shop, the atrium, the Design Studio, and 360 Chicago!
Sincerely,
Ellen Oberhart, Chairman of the Volunteer Steering Committee