Volunteering has been rewarding personally and professionally

By Brianna Smith

Winter is usually the time for annual meetings, bylaw updates, and board elections. It’s when many organizations take stock of where they’ve been and set the course for the year ahead. It’s also when new people step forward to serve. Sitting on a board or committee is a meaningful responsibility, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to grow as a leader and make a real impact. If you’ve ever considered board service, this may be the season to take that step.

While some boards require an election or an appointment, many others are happy to welcome volunteer members. Look around your community. Churches often have councils or ministry boards. Schools need volunteers for PTA and booster programs. Food pantries, animal shelters, and small nonprofits rely heavily on community members to keep operations moving. If agriculture is where your heart is, I am sure your community has 4-H boards or committees, FFA alumni organizations, a Farm Bureau board, or a local ag-related nonprofit organization.

In 2020, I joined the Ashland County 4-H Committee as an at-large member. I had previously served as a 4-H volunteer in Wayne County and grew up in the Richland County program, but I had just purchased a house in Ashland and was ready to make my new town “home”. The only person I knew prior to my first meeting was the extension educator. I could have easily been disregarded as the “newcomer” or “outsider,” but I was met with friendly faces and kind people. I never once felt out of place in the meetings. I had a lot to learn, and everyone was willing to answer my questions. I would also say I offered a unique perspective, having been involved in two other county programs prior to joining this committee.

Now in my fifth year of service, heading into my sixth and final year, I feel really proud about what the 4-H committee has accomplished in recent years, including some really successful fundraising for youth programs, supporting a new facility on the fairgrounds, and finding new ways to represent all 4-H members across the county with some new programs. I played a very small part in these efforts compared to many others, and there are committee members who have poured years of energy, knowledge, and sweat equity into moving things forward. It takes a group of dedicated volunteers to make programs run well, and there are many in the 4-H program. I’m grateful I’ve been able to learn from them and help, even in small ways.

Board service also strengthens you professionally. It offers real-world experience in leadership, strategic planning, budgeting, communication, and conflict resolution. You learn how organizations operate, how programs are built and evaluated, and how to work through disagreements with respect. Those skills transfer back to your career, business, and personal life in ways you might not expect. Remember Robert’s Rules of Order for parliamentary procedure? Well, you get a chance to polish up on those skills, too! I hope you can tell I wrote that last sentence with a smirk!

The best part is that you don’t need decades of experience to start. You just need to be willing to listen, ask questions, and show up. Find an organization you feel strongly about. If you’ve doubted whether you have anything to offer, trust me, you do. I walked into a meeting five years ago knowing almost no one, and I can say that I now have a better sense of purpose, connection, and a chance to give back to a program that shaped a huge portion of my life.

You never know what doors will open when you say “yes.” PS: I know members or former members of the 4-H committee read Ohio’s Country Journal, so thank you for being kind to the “new girl” back in 2020!