Community Involvement 21

[pippey]

I am a young engineer looking for some form of community involvement. I wold like to volunteer somewhere that is interesting to me and leaves me fulfilled having done it.

As fellow engineers, I think you understand the limited amount of time we normally have available to get involved with things outside our work/family lives. There seems to be a nearly unlimited amount of options, but with such limited time, I don't know where to start without spreading myself too thin.

I'd like to hear about anything you are involved in that is fulfilling to you.

 

[ctopher]

Every year our city police use volunteers to train with them, go on ride alongs and sometimes help write tickets. It's interesting, fun and helps you understand your community a little more. It only lasts a couple months, maybe couple nights a week. I hear a lot of police do this.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Apr 30, 2008)

 

[DRWeig]

Pippey,

Of value to both one's community and one's career is to attend local planning commission meetings, fire prevention board meetings, and other public meetings involved with infrastructure, public safety, and construction. You get to know lots of influential folks, and they generally appreciate your opinions. Normally, these functions only happen once monthly in most cities.

Of just-plain-from-the-heart value, to me, is Habitat for Humanity.

Good topic.

Goober Dave

 

[Gymmeh]

I volunteer at a community bike sharing program.

Basically people donate old used bikes. we take all the good parts off and make ride able bikes for the community to use them for a small $20 donation or donated time fixing bikes.

Its pretty fun, social and I get to do hands on engineering.

 

[cvg]

I volunteered to run and was elected to the board of my Homeowners Association (HOA). I am now the president of the board. Not always fun, but always interesting and for me requires minimal effort since it is a small community. We have board meetings once a month plus the annual meeting. I oversee the preparation of the annual budget, capital improvement projects, maintenance etc. Plus it is a good way to meet your neighbors.

 

[csd72]

Habitat for humanity is always looking for people to help out. Both tradesmen and professional.

I actually find that doing something physical as opposed to my mental job gives me a good life balance.

 

[macmet]

I've been coaching sports teams since I was in school. I love it and gets me through a lot of days at work. I would probably pay to do it if I had to. So much fun.

 

[Senselessticker]

The best advice I can give is to get involved in activities that compliment your personal interests...

I've lead some teams for some charitable bike rides (cycling is a personal hobby). My company was happy to sponsor and offers matching for employee donations. Last ride raised ~$10k for the American Diabetes Association mostly from employee donations and corporate sponsorhip.

Be careful though... if you start to raise money for charitable causes, you'll want to be sure not to interfere with any annual "corporate" drives for employee donations such as United Way... etc... Companies count on such drives for the tax break and the local recognition. So be careful not to shoot yourself in the foot...

Also, If you have any first responder medical training, local Rescue Squads are always in need of volunteers...

 

[jmw]

Ah, well, if you like destruction join a conservation group.
Our group seems to spend much of its time chopping down trees and things. Plus there is nothing like a good bonfire at the end and in the winter, when most of this activity is going on, a good fire and a hot cup of tea is always ggod fun even in the pouring rain or the snow and ice.
Destructive? just seems that way.
Managing coppiced woodland requires volunteers since there is no money in woodlands these days. This means continuing the coppice cycle to provide the necessary habitats for the various plants, birds and animals.
Another example of management is on the South Downs (UK). Once the drove routes for shepherds bring their sheep to markets the sheep would graze on the downs during the day and then be penned in the valleys below. This left a very nutrient poor landscape in which certain species of flower thrive. It is also home to the yellow meadow ant, a vegetarian. Sadly, without the sheep, the land is becoming more enriched and many species are at risk. Scrub clearance is the order of the day and then to bring sheep back in to graze.
Occasionally we go dry stone walling or cut and lay hedges.
This isn't demanding work but it is fun and beneficial. It puts something back.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[PSE]

pippey,

As all the various respondents have indicated, there is very likely something you find of interest that you can volunteer to do. I know literally of no organization that would turn a volunteer away. They are too valuable.

Regards,

 

[Gymmeh]

This is the type of program I volunteer for, (The news is complete CRAP that Washington DC is the First of its Kind in the US) the link shows the point.

This was from a couple years ago,

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2006/12/20/bike-share.html

This one is three years old:

http://www.buffalobluebicycle.org/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/us/27bikes.html

I have to laugh because for year programs like this have been fighting politicians to get funding and improved legislation for years, now that its politically correct, their is actually something getting done in politics. (And of course DC takes all the credit.)

 

[lownox]

BOY SCOUTS

Get in touch with a local troop in your area. Electrical engineering merit badge class. This wouldn't be a huge commitment at all. Nice to see someone interested in giving back to their community.

 

[sundale]

Engineers Without Borders is a very good way to apply your engineering skills in ways that truly benefit others. This work is quite rewarding for me on a personal karma level.

EWB designs and in turn helps the locals construct water supply systems, sanitary systems, schools, etc. in Third World nations. The engineering designs are purposely "low tech" that minimize material costs and are a sustainable concept so that the villagers can replicate it later on themselves, if they want.

As the structural "community partner" (e.g. non-student) with the local college EWB chapter, I have designed some ferrocement water tanks in Thailand and Ecuador. Some members of our EWB group are in Laos right now doing a water system and composting toilets for an EcoTourism lodge to help get the villagers a means to obtain hard currency. I'll be helping build a another ferrocement tank in Ecuador this August. Hard physical labor at 12,000' in the Andes, but it will be very fun and rewarding I am sure. You don't have to travel, but I got the green light from the wife on this trip!

Contact the engineering department at your local university or college and see if they have an EWB chapter, if you are interested. They are always wanting professional mentors to help with the students' engineering designs.

 

[lookintomyeyes]

I've volunteered for local science/engineering competitions, helping run the registration desk, coordination, booths, etc. Or running a booth during 'engineering week' in the local mall. Both one-off 8+ hour events that you sacrifice a wekeend for, then feel good about and dont have to do again for a while.

I've also found engineering in the most interesting places. I volunteered for a historic house and gave tours - the men were extremely happy to learn abotu the 'backsiphoning toilet', 'decorative woodwork that allowed for increased ventilation', 'electric buzzer system', and other mechanical and electrical aspects of the home, rather than the normal 'here's the toybox and theres the women's clothes' tour that they usually got stuck with when visiting!

 

[MJR2]

I've done and do
4H
Boy Scouts
Junior Rifle training/teams
and

http://www.MeetingGodinMissions.com

and others

They all and others can use technical assistance. Do what you think is fun. Don't expect too much out of it. They all need help but you will always be stepping into someone elses turf. No matter how useful you really are those people will do their best to make you fell bad. If you are blessed someone will thank you and make your day/week/year/life.

Mike

 

[plasgears]

I became a member of Toastmasters Intl, and I was a member for 10 yrs on and off. This led to involvement in the American Cancer Society campaign against smoking, a cadidate forum in my town, etc.

Toastmasters is a worthy endeavor, and it makes you more valuable to yourself and your company. when I joined originally it was for men only; now it is for men and women. This is a good place to meet highly motivated individuals.

 

[cvg]

toastmasters is also good to help you conquer your fears of public speaking - a worthy goal for most engineers.

 

[jetmaker]

For me, it is good to take on activities that are of interest, yet excercise another part of the body than what is involved in my day-to-day job. So manual labour is just the ticket.

I've done work for:

Habitat for Humanity - worked as a framer building houses;

Washington Trails Association - brute force labour clearing and leveling hiking trails;

Community Service at local shelter - cleaning, repairs, and gardening/landscaping.

 

[Twoballcane]

For me it is Freemasonry (

http://www.massfreemasonry.org/)

and since Im Asian NAAAP (

http://www.naaapboston.org/Welcome.do)

both are in the Mass area but Im sure there is a Lodge of Freemasons near you. Both organizations deal heavly in community service but also there is a sense of comradely and professionalism among the group.



Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

 

[doberdorks]

For me it is Freemasonry

AKA "old boys club"

Grin.

SLH