Designers really help other people's dreams come true.
I volunteer to help worthy causes meet their goals. Plus, it is good practice for my Design Craft.
Additionally I have gotten to meet and learn from some fantastic folks (and attended some terrific parties I was not expecting to attend!)
As if that was not enough payoff, volunteer work also helped my business grow by showcasing my work and gettting my business name in front of the community. That is very fortunate for me since I don't advertise (unless it is free ad given in a work trade).
Being thanked or noticed is not why we all help others, but it is nice when acknowledgment happens. Here are some of those notices.
It was a joy to be honored by an organization that has many wonderful volunteers and staff. I was lucky to design at least 10 event invitation designs, and chair of those events (local Broadway tour benefits).
Onw year I designed the entire AIDSWalk printed system (billboards, t-shirts, brochures, banners, ads and the logo). Along with that, I provided 6 years of pre-press help making college student volunteer logos camera ready, and creating the t-shirts, brochures, banners with their logo as well.
Since this award, I built another designer's "StopAIDS" web site (AVOC's new name). In 2012, I volunteered to create a new WordPress site for them.
Feel free to read this article with the particulars. I knew Edgecliff (my undergrad school) gave an annual service award to an outstanding alum, and NEVER thought, even after I was nominated, that I would get it. It always went to a Nun who worked hundreds of years in Africa, or someone with 500 foster kids. Not someone who does a lot of volunteer work but with mostly liberal causes.
One day my doorbell rang, and I received a dozen yellow roses? What? Did someone die? The card read (hanky alert here) "With love from your Edgecliff family. Congratulations on winning the Sullivan Award." Wow.
The award even looks cool! The presentation was at the annual Homecoming luncheon, and my partner and I even got to sit at the table with XU's president. How wonderful.
Sorry if this is a tad bit hard to read. The last spread (with the text) can be downloaded as a pdf here.
My memories from the photo shoot were: 1) being asked by the other guys if I was an employee of the theatre where the photos were being taken (I had volunteer-worked with their wives, but not them) and, 2) seeing the makeup person approve a younger guy, she looked at me and said, "Um, do you mind a little under-eye concealer?" Heck. I said "Pour it on!"
I hope all this does not make you throw up.
But, if you don't know me, I think sharing these things does help get to know me a bit better.