Reader disgusted with former organization sponsor

Dear Editor,

IAM A VOLUNTEER.

I can track the start of my volunteering career to my freshman year at Malta High School when I joined Key Club. Picking up trash along the highway and organizing events for students at the grade school are a couple of things that got me hooked. Cleaning up our community so we can be proud of it and visitors may enjoy the beauty of our little comer of this big world. Getting to know the youth in this area and letting them know there are people who care and like to have fun with them.

After high school, I chose to continue my volunteering in my community. When we started our family, I became a full time mom and part time volunteer. Throughout the years the list of organizations has expanded turning it into what I feel a full time position. Volunteers DO NOT GET PAID, we DO NOT ASK TO BE PAID. We do what we do because our community needs these organizations for our youth, the elderly and the wellbeing of our community. They help our area to not only exist but to thrive.

Why is this woman ranting, you may ask? Because I am disgusted! Many organizations have to have sponsors to exist. Recently a volunteer organization was given an ultimatum to “pay this sponsor or they were walking”. Without this sponsor, the organization ceases immediately, causing a huge loss for our community. This volunteer organization struggles as it is and for the sponsor to all of a sudden, out of the blue, demand to be paid is unbelievable!

Volunteers DO NOT get paid. We DO NOT ask to be paid.

The number of hours volunteers put in to make the organizations in our community successful is countless. The trainings we attend, sometimes out of town, causes us to be away from our loved ones. The events that are planned to make the public aware of each organizations mission and may take months to prepare.

Sponsors do play certain roles for different organizations. This particular one has chosen not to participate in those roles. So all that has been utilized is the signature. And now they want payment, simply for their signature.

Disgraceful!

There is even more to this story, this is just a summary. I would like to encourage people to become more involved in their community. I would also like to say that if you think you can “volunteer” and get paid, remember that is not why the rest of us do what we do and you give us a bad name.

Gina Lamb

Malta