Step up, and volunteer for Vallejo

Step up, and volunteer for Vallejo
Posted: 04/21/2009

Editor's note: The author is the Director of Public Relations at the California Maritime Academy, a member of Vallejo Rotary, and outgoing Chairman of the Board of Directors of Leadership Vallejo.

The Times-Herald never suffers a shortage of people ready to write a letter to the editor about community problems, and it's the same with the paper's community blog site. But more and more it is clear that solving the challenges facing Vallejo, our state and our nation depends heavily on volunteers: Dedicated members of the community, ready to commit their time, their skills and their dedication to expanding opportunities, and building, rebuilding and strengthening institutions -- not just complaining.

Three years ago, with the assistance of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Vallejo was launched -- to train a new generation of volunteer leaders from our community. As our recent ads note, they are people just like you. In just a few weeks, we'll be graduating our second class of trainees. Some 40 men and women, reflecting the broad diversity of Vallejo, will have taken part in a series of once-a-month, day-long classes covering everything from area history and government to social services, the arts, environment, labor, education and economic development. They also learn new skills in group dynamics, organization, setting agendas and budgets and public speaking.

When they graduate in May, they will also have an invaluable network of contacts and resources they can turn to and draw upon as they join the ranks of those already working to create a better, stronger and more viable Vallejo. The program is underwritten through a combination of in-kind and financial support from area businesses and organizations (including the Times-Herald) and tuition from class members. It is our hope to train more than 100 new volunteer leaders for Vallejo in our first five years.

Although some of our graduates may go into politics, Leadership Vallejo is not political. Our focus is on training people to help guide the future of our community. Each of our annual classes divides up into smaller groups to identify and seek solutions to a particular community challenge. Today, two of our first-year projects are helping strengthen Vallejo:

* Team Tennessee: Recognizing the importance of Tennessee Street as a gateway to Vallejo and Mare Island, the TT group undertook a one-on-one-survey of residents and business owners along the corridor to identify their concerns and their hopes. It was one thing to identify the problems -- crime, homelessness, graffiti, congestion, lack of community action -- and another to find solutions. In just their first year, TT has recruited volunteers, organized community social and business events, restored a large outdoor community mural, worked with the city to discourage illegal parking, attacked graffiti, arranged for the installment of high-visibility pedestrian crosswalk signs, and installed promotional banners on light poles along the street. Their efforts have worked so well that other areas in the community are asking how they can replicate TT's success.

* The Bio-Tech Career Path Coalition: A second Leadership Vallejo group talked with area educators and businesses and found the two groups had common interests. Vallejo's schools wanted to help students recognize the quality job opportunities in the region after graduation and the area's bio-tech industry faced a shortage of skilled manpower. The two joined forces to create workshops and other events, showcasing the industry to students and letting them know the courses they would need to take both at the high school and community college level to prepare themselves. Again, other business groups, including the Vallejo Chamber, are now working together to create similar programs to strengthen and focus our vital school system.

* Open house -- you're invited: Wednesday, at the Farragut Inn on Mare Island's Touro University campus, Leadership Vallejo will hold its third annual Open House to showcase the new community projects undertaken by our second-year class. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the program starts promptly at 5:30 -- the public is invited. If you are interested in getting involved, come join us.

Learn more about Leadership Vallejo and how you can get involved -- as a supporter, an underwriter, and/or as a member of our Third Year class. You'll also get a chance to network with friends and neighbors already working to make Vallejo a better community.

* Apply for Our Next Class: Applications for the 2009-2010 class and additional information are available at the Open House and at our Web site (www.leadershipvallejo.org). Applications can be completed on-line or printed out, and mailed to us by May 15. Applicants will undergo interviews, and class selections will be made by early July, with first classes in September.

* Vallejo Volunteer Web site: Let me also promote another new resource for anyone interested in area volunteer opportunities: www.volunteervallejo.org is a new Web site, formed in part through a Leadership Vallejo initiative. It is designed to bring together Vallejo community groups and organizations seeking volunteers with those interested in volunteering. While many groups already have their own Web sites, creating a central location listing a wider range of opportunities helps interested volunteers best match their skills and interests with current needs.

We invite any interested Vallejo group needing volunteers to add their listings at this site as well as their own, and then link their site with Volunteer Vallejo to help spread the word. It's a great way to get involved, to meet new friends and neighbors, and to join together in building new strengths and pride in our community. We encourage those same groups interested in strengthening their leadership resources to have members apply for our next class.

Doug Webster
Leadership Vallejo