Here’s an idea that may help you to fit volunteering into your busy schedules and allow you to serve in a manner that is fulfilling and rewarding…Idea #3 Form or join a Circle of Service.

Local resident, City Councilman and early 5th Bridge Pledger, Jim Pokorney, developed the Circle of Service concept and the idea is spreading across the community. The idea is simple:

• Gather a group of people together who have a desire to volunteer. Jim’s original model called for a circle of 12 people, but the group could be smaller or larger. One meeting, no standing committees. Great way to develop new friendships.
• Decide how many volunteer projects you want do to each year. (Original model is 4 x per year, winter, spring, summer & fall but it could be twice a year, monthly, once per semester, etc…) Totally flexible, each group decides what works for them.
• Decide the scope of the project. How much time will you commit? Does your group want a special focus (ie environmental, beautification, poverty…)? (Original model limits the projects to those that can be completed in one day or less and each member of the circle gets to choose and plan one project.) Totally flexible, each group decides what works for them.
• Decide whether you will commit financial resources as well as time and how much. Jim’s group decided that each member of the group would commit $50 cash towards each project. That way they would have a budget of $600 for each project, which will enable them to have more flexibility and to leverage their impact.
• Share the leadership and project selection. All members of the circle will take one turn to select a project that they feel passionate about, and then provide the leadership to plan and organize that project. For all the other projects, the members just need to show up to volunteer and support the projects chosen and organized by the leader for that particular project. This gives each circle member the opportunity to share their passions with others and then be exposed to the philanthropic interests of the other circle members. 5th Bridge can help with project ideas.
• Create an assignment sheet and gather contact information. Determine who and when each person is responsible to choose and plan the project, then decide on an easy method of communication (email or phone tree).
• Encourage all members of your Circle of Service to take the 5th Bridge pledge online at www.5thbridge.org , so we can help you with project ideas and provide ongoing encouragement.
• Get started! (Don’t forget to take pictures)
• Share your project ideas and experiences with others by posting your photos and/or stories on the 5th Bridge website… www.5thbridge.org

The information above is a sample outline that you can use to form a Circle of Service and more information about Jim Pokorney’s original model is on the 5th Bridge website ( www.5thbridge.org ) under “stories”, but the beauty of the Circle of Service is that it is totally organic. You can mold it and form it into any shape you want to suit the interests and time constraints of the people who are participating. All it takes is one person to convene that one meeting. Here are just a few examples of the possibilities…

• A group of neighbors could form a Circle of Service as a way to get to know one another better. They could mobilize to help other neighbors in need, keep the neighborhood safe, welcome new neighbors, etc…
• Nancy Carlson formed a Circle with a group of women who are very active in the community. One of the things that her group decided was that they could call upon the Circle to help when a member was involved in a community project and needed extra help.
• Groups of employees could form Circles of Service as a way to get to know one another on a different level and to promote team building.
• Friends and/ or co-workers could form a Circle of Service to help and support a family or individual who is struggling with a serious illness, unemployment, or other challenge.
• A group of students who are passionate about the environment could form a Circle to work on environmental issues.
• A group of men (or women) who like to work with their hands could form a Circle of Service to do handyman jobs for non-profits or individuals who need help with their homes.
• A group of people who love to garden, could work on projects to maintain public landscapes and/or beautify the community.

The list of possibilities is endless. The benefits to all are numerous. 5th Bridge will help make it easier to get started and keep going by sharing project ideas and providing ongoing encouragement. We can also help you inspire others to get involved by sharing your stories, ideas, and photos on our website.