Monthly Archives: December 2013

Volunteers

Importance Of Groundhog Volunteers

Our Burrow Improvement Committee is constantly evaluating programs and activities that will make our community a peaceful place where groundhogs can live and work together in harmony. They have many ideas about how to make that happen, but the big question is who will make that happen?

Volunteers Donate Time and Effort

Today we address the importance of groundhog volunteers that are necessary and extremely helpful for a healthy place to live.  Groundhogs from all walks of life donate their time and effort to various causes, day and night, and  every day of the year.

Burrow Community Responsibility

In a groundhog services setting, agency clients and program participants usually can’t distinguish between volunteers and paid staff, unless name tags make those designations. The more connected to a burrow community groundhogs feel, the more likely they are to take responsibility for the burrow community  to feel pride,  and a sense of commitment. Mobilizing burrow community resources and expanding capacity through groundhog volunteers also enhances an organization’s general profile, which can attract more groundhog volunteers’  especially young teens and adolescent program participants.

Roles of Groundhog Volunteers

Many groundhogs think of burrow volunteers as helpers stopping by after school or in their spare time to answer phones, organize files, or visit groundhogs who are sick or housebound.  However, without groundhog volunteers, some organizations might not exist. In fact, the burrow boards and committees of many  local groundhog agencies consist entirely of groundhog volunteers and that is why programs for groundhog teens and adolescents are so important. Groundhog youth-serving organizations represent the largest single groundhog development program.

Programs Offered By National Organizations

Programs include: 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, YWCA, Girls Incorporated, Camp Fire, Big Brother/Big Sisters, Kid Gardening, and Junior Achievement.  These are just some of the programs offered by the National groundhog youth-serving organizations that promote social values, and building of life skills such as: leadership, problem solving, and decision making.

Cordially,
Woody Woodchuck
“Words of wisdom from the Prairie Dog”

          Groundhog Youth-serving Organizations
Promote Social Values

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Groundhog Community

Open To Entire Groundhog Community

Although they are open to the entire groundhog burrows, these services are frequented primarily by younger aged groundhogs. Over the past two decades, however, public funding for parks and recreation services in the burrows has been cut dramatically—despite government reports noting the benefits of groundhog youth participation in recreation programs.

Young Groundhog Development Program

There is no standard definition of a groundhog youth development program, as a diverse array of out-of-school activities, programs, and organizations (largely private and voluntary) combine to form the groundhog youth development sector. Some programs are affiliated with national groundhog youth-serving organizations; others are sponsored by public institutions or agencies, including parks and recreation departments, libraries, schools, and police. Some are operated by private organizations with broad mandates such as: religious groups, museums, and civic organizations, while others are run by freestanding grass roots burrow-based organizations and  intergenerational programs offered by various sponsors.

Programs In Each Category Vary

Programs in each category vary in their goals and content (sports, academic enrichment, vocational guidance, or community service). They also vary in structure. Some offer a facility where groundhog youths can gather; others link groundhog youths to a mentor or troop that can meet periodically.

Education For Groundhog Youth Development

Many groups that once thought of themselves as providing recreation have come to define their service as “informal education” or groundhog youth development. Today, groundhog youth development programs are more intentional about teaching young groundhogs new knowledge, practical, and useful life skills.

Vast Array Of Other Services

What distinguishes groundhog youth development programs from the vast array of other services is their emphasis on supporting the normal socialization, healthy development of young groundhogs, and prevention of problems such as: Internet and Gaming, Addiction, Bullying Online and School Violence in Media, Healthy Eating, Substance Abuse, Mental Depression, and the like.

Groundhog Youth Development Focus

While some groundhog youth development organizations may offer some prevention and intervention programs, their focus is on promoting normal development; providing environments and relationships that nurture and challenge young groundhogs; building their competencies; and treating them as resources. Groundhog youth development programs for early groundhog teens are provided by a wide variety of groups, both private and public. National groundhog youth-serving organizations represent the largest single groundhog development programs.

Groundhog Youth Development Programs

Programs include: 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, YWCA, Girls Incorporated, Camp Fire, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Kid Gardening, and Junior Achievement. These programs offered by National groundhog youth-serving organizations share a number of common features. For instance, most hold a commitment to promoting social values and building a variety of life skills (such as: leadership, problem solving, and decision making). Most development programs rely on small groups and trained leaders, both paid and volunteer, for delivery.

Community Recreation Programs

Community Programs, like public libraries, parks, and special services, exist in nearly every burrow, providing facilities:  community centers, parks, pools, golf courses, playgrounds, tennis courts, and outdoor nature centers, as well as programs like: teams, sports instruction, arts and crafts, games, dance, golf, drama, social recreation, and special events.

Cordially,
Woody Woodchuck
“Words of wisdom from the Prairie Dog”

Playing is fun!

Woody-Woodchuck-Golfer

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Stretch Your Imagination

Stretch Your Imagination

Every burrow has places whose significance seems to have been lost or forgotten. Over a period of time burrows change uses to better meet current needs or to attract new users.

More To Think About

Often groundhog volunteers need to observe the places where they live, and identify ways in which the environmental features change: sidewalks, fences, schools, zoning, commercial and residential sites. We are proud of our burrows and plan to invite our local officials to a presentation. This will help to evaluate the various proposals. Please, help us notify friends, families, teachers, fellow students, and coworkers about this exciting new project.

Cordially,
Woody Woodchuck
“Words of wisdom from the Prairie Dog”

 Volunteer For Your Community

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Local Government

The Burrow Is Like Local Government

Marmots mate soon after hibernation. Gestation last about a month and a litter of four or five is born in a nest within the burrow. Usually, my family considers the burrow as its own local government and neighborhood. In such cases the burrow has either limited powers delegated to it or no powers at all.

Community Volunteer

Imagine that most groundhog burrows have Community Volunteer Committees that help woodchuck planners identify needs for change in the burrows. Often there are needs for change in land-use that will better address current problems or attract new residential users. Features like sidewalks, school buildings, trees and new tunnel zoning defines the perimeter of the places where groundhogs live.

Cordially,                                                                                                                         Woody Woodchuck                                                                                                       “Words of wisdom from the Prairie Dog” 

                    Imagine The “Prairie Dog Cousin” To The Groundhog Is                          A Community Volunteer

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