Volunteering at Beth Torah Over the last few years, you may have noticed emails from “SignUpGenius” and you either took a risk and opened the link or just deleted it. You may have received an email from Congregation Beth Torah with a link to a SignUp Genius form. Many of you have been using it and enjoying the benefits (listed below) for a long time. Others have no idea of how or why this tool can be helpful to you. Beth Torah has always taken great pride in providing activities that connect our members to projects for our own benefit or to help others. Filling volunteer opportunities isn’t usually a challenge, but we are definitely not reaching as many folks as we would like. In an effort to streamline this process for both our volunteers and the office staff and lay leadership, we have decided to use this tool exclusively in the future. NOW-what does that mean for YOU? Here are some answers to help you learn why you should use it. What is Sign Up Genius?
It’s a FREE online tool for volunteer management and event planning.
What are the benefits? • You can sign up at your convenience (24/7), no more worrying about when the office is open. • You can see who else is volunteering and choose to work with a friend or with someone you’d like to know better. • It prevents too many volunteers for one slot or activity while others still need help. • It has an easy “swap” tool if you find that life gets in the way and you need to trade slots. • It automatically sends you a reminder of your commitment. What about privacy?
You don’t have to give your phone number or other personal information.
Do I need to establish an account with SignUp Genius? An account is not required, but if you wish to establish one, you can check back and see all of your commitments in one place. How do I access the SignUp Genius when I want to volunteer? 1) You will receive an email from the Beth Torah Office with a short description of the event or need that includes a link directly to the Sign Up Genius for that activity. 2) The link will also appear in CBT E-News and on our website in a few locations. It will be accessible from the activity and also from the “Member Services” tab. This location will include a complete list of all activities and volunteer opportunities in one place! What if, after reading this information, you still don’t feel comfortable using an online tool? Simply call the Beth Torah Office and a member of our awesome office staff will sign you up! You’ll still receive the reminder from SignUpGenius before the event. Do you still have questions? Feel free to call Marcia Rittmaster, Volunteer Coordinating Committee member, at (913) 6499524.
Blood Drive
At our February Blood Drive, we registered 37 donors and collected 35 units of blood. There were two first-time donors! We met our collection goal! Did you know that each of the 35 pints of blood helps two hospital patients fight cancer, survive serious accidents and undergo surgery? Thanks to our Co-Chairs, Jeff Altman and Scott Franklin, for organizing and recruiting for our Blood Drives. Mark your calendars for our next drive which will be Wednesday, May 11th. Sign up at www.esavealife.org Giving blood is a sure way to save a life. www.beth-torah.org | Page 5