A Sense of Belonging


“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.”


H. Jackson Brown Jr., author


Keagy says that getting involved in an association and volunteering often develops into a sense of belonging because of the connections that are established with other people. “This often leads to friendships," she explains.


Sapp observes that joining a group and engaging can seem like a daunt- ing task for many. “You attend a con- ference and are overwhelmed by the activities and the number of people you interact with, but by volunteering you can build your network within the association a piece at a time. You build really great relationships with the volunteers with whom you inter- act."


"By engaging in a volunteer capacity, you also build confidence in your abilities,” he continues. “You con- tribute to a committee and see that your contributions are impacting the greater community or association. That type of interaction eases one’s nervousness in getting involved in the larger community and really builds your sense of belonging."


Kelley explains that, by definition, an association is a group of people organized for a joint purpose. “By that definition, the only way it works is if people engage, and volunteering at its core is engagement. When you engage, you move from spectator to participant. Participants are always more invested in the outcome then spectators. When you participate, you belong and make an impact on indi- viduals within the organization and also on the organization as a whole.”


Mid-Atlantic­EvEnts Magazine 45


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84