By Jamey Sheesley
Heidi Lynne, like most volunteers, found Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence (BTSADV) by scrolling through Facebook. She saw an ad for a volunteer blog writer and clicked on it. She knew she did not want to be a writer but she wanted to do something for this group. Shortly after she joined BTSADV, Heidi began making big steps within the group. She is the volunteer outreach coordinator and she absolutely loves it. Her favorite part of her volunteer work is interviewing potential volunteers because she knows when she gets to pass someone along she is helping the organization by adding to the family to ultimately help other people.
“Each one of us is like a cog in the mechanism of BTSADV and the more cogs we have, the smoother we will flow, just knowing I am making it smoother makes it all worth it,” Heidi said.
Heidi is the first interaction people have with BTSADV when they want to volunteer which makes her the voice that represents the rest of the group. For some people, it could seem like a lot of pressure but Heidi handles it like a star and does her best to get to know the applicant as much as possible in her interviews. She is able to find a lot out about people just by talking to them, which is why her interviews usually last around an hour. It seems like a long time but talking with Heidi is like talking to your best friend, as I found out interviewing her for this article. She definitely knew how to make me feel comfortable during the call. She has a calming but cheerful quality about her that I was able to connect with instantly.
Not only is Heidi amazing in her position, but she is also very humble. When she was announced as the volunteer of the month, she was honored but she felt that someone else should have it. Heidi just wants to help others.
Since Heidi joined the team, she has changed the recruiting staff into something new. She speaks the good in others according to KayLa Allen, director of operations at BTSADV.
“She is outgoing and not afraid to take initiative. She became a super shining start naturally on the team and that’s what helps her and us to become better,” said KayLa.
Getting new people onboard is Heidi’s main mission but she posts positive messages weekly for other volunteers to see. She makes sure to keep us uplifted and inspired by the quotes and memes she shares.
When Heidi joined the volunteer team, she came in with style and grace. She was eager to help and was excited to be a part of the organization according to Kristen Paruginog, Founder, and CEO of BTSADV.
“Since she’s been with us, she’s been able to improve our onboarding volunteer process, grow several of our volunteer committees, and suggest new ways to help engage our team. I appreciate Heidi and the contribution she is making to our organization every day,” said Kristen.
Heidi also had wonderful things to say about the organization. When she first started, she was amazed that she could contact Kristen one-on-one. With most of her experience, many founders of volunteer organizations are unreachable. Being able to talk to Kristen compelled her to help even more. She is very appreciative of the open communication and being able to talk with Kristen and other volunteers daily.
Congratulations, Heidi, on being named November Volunteer of the Month.
If you’re interested in volunteering with Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence, visit: https://breakthesilencedv.org/volunteer/.
