Anyone interested???

[BlueAvocado]

Hello there,

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in forming a organization to help people in need in N. Cali. I wanted to get my self involved into something like this and rather then joining a organization that is already there I wanted to do something on my own. Not only does it look better on a transcript but I want to know I made a personal difference, I think many volunteer programs are too structured and I feel like I m not contributing my self. Some ideas I had was maybe starting talk groups for women for underage pregnancies, Tutoring for school kids, etc. I don't really have many ideas on top of my head but would be interested in hearing some and any interests in starting something like this. I think starting a program like this would have many benefits for everyone involved. thank you and hopefully we can get something organized.

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[surfdevl02]

Hello-

This is an obvious attempt to do little more than bolster your credentials and to me it's a little superficicial. I'm in CA now and there are so many organizations that are already established that could really use yours or anyone else's help. CA is such a progressive state that many organizations already exist that do exactly what you want to do. Why would you want to start a new one??? I'm not saying, don't take initiative and try to help people but don't do so just because it looks good on your application because ultimately your time could be better spent elewhere and help more people.

 

[X]

Ok so the person mentioned in one line that it looks better on a transcript. There are 4 other reasons given for wanting to do this. So why choose that one to pick on. I am sure that bolstering the credentials is one factor, but "this is an obvious attempt to do little more than bolster your credentials" is unwarranted. Show some support dude.

X

 

[UCLAMAN]

Well...I agree with surfdevl....If you want to make a difference then thats commendable...but don't start an organization partly because it "looks better" on a transcript. Although it is only "one line" as X pointed out, making a "personal difference" should have absolutely nothing to do with "looking better" on a transcript. Why even reference it when recruiting people?

 

[moviefreak]

Not to sound cynical, but I feel your reasons are very vague. Granted that your reasons go beyond bolstering your resume, I don't see a motivation that makes your desire sincerely humanitarian. What is your target community? Have you assessed its needs? Are there other groups providing the same service that you will be providing? There are many volunteer programs out there and a lot of them are struggling for want of volunteers. Why not support an existing one and make it stronger? What is it that you find compelling that you would take this massive commitment and see it through with all your efforts? I suggest you evaluate your true motives because starting a group and keeping it alive requires a lot of heart.

 

[surfdevl02]

First of all i would like to apologize. I didn't want to come across as overlly critical of your motivation..it's just that i'm doing health outreach work with the homeless now in San Fran and HIV counseling of the Asian population out here and I find it very frustrating that the city is cutting down on all of our public health funding when it is needed most, esp now with the high number of AIDS incidence in San Fran. If you wanna make a difference, I extend to you an invitation to go on outreach with me, to help man our needle-exchange clinics, to give vaccinations to the many people here who could not otherwise afford it. All these programs and many more are already in place in CA, it's just that we need more caring people like yourself to get involved and help us! To start up new organizations would only serve to dilute our efforts and possibly take away manpower from organizations such as the homeless clinic that i work in presently, and ironically cause more disfunction in this city. If you really wanna make a difference, irregardless of how it looks on paper, I personally invite you to work with me in San Francisco...

 

[SM-UCLA tech]

just a sidebar.....

if you are going to form an organization for people in need. Don't forget us poor folk down in southern cali !!!!

You people up there are hogging our water! Share, please. That would be great to form a group who would gladly supply our homes with needed H2O.

 

[surfdevl02]

Haha....of course we won't forget you socal folks....it's just that you guys have better weather, waves, and girls so you can't have everything!

 

[BlueAvocado]

haha Hogging up all the water, I ll send you some personally straight from the tap. First of all Thanx X for seeing my true intent for what I want to do. I honestly really wouldn't mind joining an exsisting group to help out and to better the existing groups, but my Overall reason for doing this is like one reader said it takes a lot of heart and effort and that's exactlly what I am trying to achieve. It's one thing to join a group that already exists that doesn't require you to put much thought in you volunteering but just volunteer your time and show up. To me I always looked at that type of volunteering work as superficial. I would like to claim credit for this idea and say yeah I am the first who wants to do something like this with very little man force but It was an idea from a Med Student at Stanford. He told me that he started a help group for Underage women who were pregnant and he told us how he helped a lot of girls and he liked it a lot better because it was his heart and effort that went into starting this program to help these people in need. I don't like all the restrictions that these existing groups have. For instance, through my AMSA pre med chapter they were asking for volunteers for tutoring of troubled kids so they can get their GED and they basicaly said we had to fill out a form then we had to get a letter of recommendation from a teacher. For what so you can help some kids who really need help NOW! I rather put something else into the mix, just because I happened to say that it would look good on a transcript I didnt mean by any standard that it was my main goal. I just didn't want people to say why should I do that, or that's a waste of time.
Surfer I would love to join you into some of those volunteer groups but I have a family and live in Sacramento and it would be a drive and a half to go out there to San Fran. I appreciate the offer.

 

[gipper]

wow. i didn't realize that running 3 marathons, raising over $8000 for cancer research, and leading dozens of others to do the same was superficial...thanks for shedding some light on my volunteering experience. (sarcastic)

personally, i agree with surferdev, why not support an organization that is doing great work. volunteering is only superficial when you treat it that way and don't engage yourself.

my $0.02. you can do what you want but i am going to go on with my "superficial" volunteering.

 

[nitemagi]

I believe San Francisco(and northern california) is replete with great volunteer programs. While it's somewhat true that creating a new organization can dilute efforts, my main issue with it is that it's a huge committment. If you're not willing to drive an hour and a half to san francisco, then you really don't have time to start an organization. It takes a ridiculous amount of time, and if you're planning on going to med school you'll have even less time. As a founder, you would need to be there as a stabalizing force to keep it going, and a year or two of work will probably not make it self-sufficient. Yes some organizations are structured, but what's most important is that you're putting in the effort itself. Use the most of yourself and you'll always feel good about the work you do, whether it's in someone else's small organization, or your own.

 

[BlueAvocado]

You know what first I like to say thanx for a mature non confrontive responce from nitemagi. I just wanted to add to that , my plan was to help local people in Sacramento Area. But I agree with most things you said to some degree but to look at the dummy who posted before you. Has DSN become a Network for Sarcastic Idiots or for people that truly want to help in a positive light. Just because I said that I felt some volunteering was superficial that doesn't mean I was saying it for your personal volunteering work that you may have put in or anyon elses. Honestly I dont give a flying fook about your time, all I wanted to do was start an organization, if you don't have a productive input then go post on someone elses post. I am sick of coming on to SDN and reading really dumb stupid **** from kids that think they know everything about everything. So what you ran a fooking marathon so you can indirectly help people by contributing to cancer research. Thats exactly what I mean. It's not like you raised the money went out to the street and fed a poor family your self. I am about to go rizzo on my shizo with these ignorant posts.

 

[gipper]

i too dislike the negativity of SDN which is why i needed to respond, however sarcastically to your comment about "superficial" volunteering...

btw, i know for a fact that the money i raise goes DIRECTLY to cancer research and supportive programs.

that's all folks.