I know this post is delayed, but it’s always better to write something late than never, right? They say, “Better late than never!”
Last Wednesday, 25 of my colleagues came together to support a volunteer project I organized for National Braille Press. We spent the morning sticking Braille labels onto printed books for children.
When I hosted this project last year, I was new to the whole process. This time, things were much easier and smoother because I knew what I was doing.
But what I didn't anticipate was the overwhelming response!
I reached out to all the volunteers from last year, and they signed up. Then another colleague told me his entire team wanted to volunteer, so we accommodated them, too. We ended up with many more volunteers than last year!
We also changed how we worked. Last year, we used an assembly line to work on one book at a time. If a book had 15 pages, each person would stick one Braille label and pass the book along. This time, we managed to work on two books at a time!
We did run short of four people toward the end of our second round. Looking back, I wish I had accommodated the four people on the waiting list, too. A lesson learned for next year!
But the most important part of the day wasn't just the volunteer project.
It was lunch!
Because we had more volunteers, we finished earlier than expected. Last year, we barely had 10–15 minutes for lunch before everyone rushed out of the room. This time, we had a good 45 minutes!
People took their time, switched seats, sat with different colleagues, shared stories, and enjoyed each other's company.
The volunteer opportunity came with a networking opportunity as a package deal!
The books looked phenomenal, but my favorite part of the day was seeing colleagues come together, share their experiences, and get to know one another.
Sometimes, the impact of volunteering goes beyond the work we do. It's also about the connections we build along the way.
A big thank you to everyone who volunteered and made the day so special! ❤️
#Volunteering #EmployeeEngagement #Community #NationalBraillePress
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