The View from The Bull: February 2012

Monday, February 27, 2012

The purpose for a website

Why do we need websites?

To establish an internet presence
As an extension of our current advertising (phone, newspapers, etc.)
To enhance Kin Canada's professional image
To offer Kin Canada information and give the public a favorable impression
To increase public awareness of Kin Canada's name, brand or identity
To strengthen our position in the eye of the public
To strengthen brand identification
To develop prospects
To explain our purpose
To encourage potential members to contact us by phone, mail or e-mail
To bring in new members to our location
To offer links to other relevant sites
To provide information to the public and the members
To offer a virtual community, a place where users can interact with each others

As you can see, a website has many purposes and uses. We must keep these points in mind when we form a website for our Club, District and the National site.

Most importantly, we have a website as a library for the members. The website must have all the necessary files, schedules, forms, contacts, documents, Power Points, applications, lists and all the assorted information that the members may need. These files must also be sorted in a fashion that they can be found by all members. We need a place where all Kin can go to "Learn and Grow" and find the vital information they will need.

Ask your Webmaster to build that library...this works far better than Dropbox, without having to download an invasive program.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Is Kin Canada full of volunteers?

I have heard this statement many times, "But I am just a Volunteer". This statement is used only for one purpose, for an excuse to not follow through with an obligation.

Here is the definition of Volunteer;

One who enters into, or offers for, any service of his own free will.

One who enters into service voluntarily, but who, when in service, is subject to discipline and regulations like other soldiers; -- opposed to conscript; specifically, a voluntary member of the organized militia of a country as distinguished from the standing army.

A grantee in a voluntary conveyance; one to whom a conveyance is made without valuable consideration; a party, other than a wife or child of the grantor, to whom, or for whose benefit, a voluntary conveyance is made.

Of or pertaining to a volunteer or volunteers; consisting of volunteers; voluntary; as, volunteer companies; volunteer advice.

To offer or bestow voluntarily, or without solicitation or compulsion; as, to volunteer one's services.

To enter into, or offer for, any service of one's own free will, without solicitation or compulsion; as, he volunteered in that undertaking.

Now I put to you this query, If one offers or volunteers to do a job, (chair a project or a position on District executive, etc.) are they then still a volunteer, or are they now obligated to complete that job?

When one offers, of their own free will, to take a position or accomplish a task, they are then obligated to a job. Many Kin depend on the "free will" of other Kin. If we use the term "I am just a volunteer" we not only let down our self, but we let down many others.

I am not a volunteer! I have given my commitment to Kin, and I will follow through, to the best of my abilities. I have faltered and for that I am sorry, when I commit to a task, I will do my best. So my belief is that Kin does have a few volunteers and many more with a job to do.

Are you a volunteer?