Cave Diver Volunteering

[speleodiver]

What about past history? Some, like me, were perhaps more active a few years back, then less active today, with plans to be more active in the near future.... and what about the nature of the activity? serving on the BoD or on a committee is not really helping the community of non-divers. or what if it's just dive-related, like attending a social and bringing the hotdog buns? I don't think travel time should count either...example: if I spend the afternoon helping to clean up along a river bank I don't get to count the two days of driving to get there and back as "volunteer time," or do I?

skip

Past history is what I need. I know people get busy, life happens and we have to pull back. If any committee or BoD you sat on help a community in anyway then use that in the calculations. I just need to show cave divers do give a lot back and we all are not the stereotype of taking and not giving in return. Most ave divers ask for nothing but access. As for the driving, it is time spent towards helping. Unless you just wiggle your nose and appear on scene, it probably takes most of your time.

[RN]

What about past history? Some, like me, were perhaps more active a few years back, then less active today, with plans to be more active in the near future.... and what about the nature of the activity? serving on the BoD or on a committee is not really helping the community of non-divers. or what if it's just dive-related, like attending a social and bringing the hotdog buns? I don't think travel time should count either...example: if I spend the afternoon helping to clean up along a river bank I don't get to count the two days of driving to get there and back as "volunteer time," or do I?

skip

Driving absolutely counts. I've driven to Missouri the past 2 years to present at the Midwest Workshop. Not only is that 2 days of driving but it's also several hundred dollars in gas. I drive to High Springs at least a dozen times a year for volunteer activities. That's 6 hours round trip and over $100 in gas. The IRS allows mileage for volunteer activities to be written off so why shouldn't it count?

[Jim Wyatt]

Like Forrest I too put in a few 100 hours per year between the NFSA & the NSS-CDS. It is part of giving back to the community. It is easy for those of us who have chosen to live here in the heart of cave country to accumulate that much volunteer time.

[speleodiver]

I second Jim. It is easy to put in the time and get consumed with volunteering if you're only minutes away. I don't think I have spent less then 150 a month since I moved here. It is easy to get involved and every little effort makes a huge impact. I remember the days of driving from Texas and working on boats, compressors, duckweed containment systems for Edd. It was necessarily community oriented but by keeping cave divers diving, it certainly helped. I always liked the little behind the scene tasks that make a big impact the best.

[speleodiver]

Btw,

These statistics will be used in a slide presentation for an international green drinks presentation to be given at the Wakulla Springs lodge on January 22 at 6:30pm. The theme is caves and aquifers and how cave divers contribute to the research and volunteer hours that go it the communities with these natural resources. It is basically tying together the whole benefits of caves and divers to the communities.

[Jim Wyatt]

So....anyone want to join me in my day of "volunteering" to print out NSS-CDS instructor cards and student cert cards today?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Haven't enough instructor certs been put out already?

[Jim Wyatt]

Haven't enough instructor certs been put out already?

The ones we are doing today are 2013 renewals.

[Kelly Jessop]

Btw,

These statistics will be used in a slide presentation for an international green drinks presentation to be given at the Wakulla Springs lodge on January 22 at 6:30pm. The theme is caves and aquifers and how cave divers contribute to the research and volunteer hours that go it the communities with these natural resources. It is basically tying together the whole benefits of caves and divers to the communities.

This is great because the community as a whole doesn't know what contributions cave divers make,not only some science/research oriented projects in the caves,but top side activities that return something tangible. Cave divers have stepped forward and really provided,but it goes unnoticed by many. Steve if you need additional information and projects that generally go unseen by the community,I will be glad to get you the info.

[Kelly Jessop]

One thing that is crticial to us to think about is that all cave diving access is not an entitlement,but a privledge,and there have been people in the background volunteering their time and money to get,and keep this access. While we we dive one place in the morning,get a gas fill,and dive somewhere else in the afternoon,those sites were secured by someone who gave up their recreation,and did some grassroots work. It is easy to say thank you,and go about your fun,but a volunteer efforts are needed from everyone,and everyone contributing will defray the efforts of one. People who live locally it is easy because there is something that is always going on around you,but there are things people that live 1000 miles away can do help. What can the people who live great distances away do? A lot. Many of the organizations have committees,and needs that can be handled behind a keyboard. The more visible we are as a community,the more we attract attention,and this has a positive benefit we all enjoy.