Either You Have It or You Don’t
Posted by
Jason Skipworth on 08/11/2009 @ 15:51
Categories: New at the ReStore
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This phrase might sound familiar to you if you're a fan of Charlie Palmieri or jazz music. To others it might be something you've heard referenced to aspiring Hollywood starlets. Regardless, it is true. Either you have it or you don't. But what is "it". What puts a person in the position to be described only by a somewhat meaningless pronoun, but yet it be definingly understood to what their importance is?
For the last two years Habitat has had a true (EMFP) champion on its side. Megan Coleman started at Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia in 2007 as a Volunteer Coordinator. "She worked hard," says President & CEO, Karen Cleveland. "Due to employee changes and Megan?s progress we gave her more responsibilities and a new title." Now as Volunteer and House Sponsorship Manager, Megan and the Habitat Northern Virginia team, raised record levels of funds and embarked on new building and sponsorship plans. In addition, she managed a cast of volunteers that could range in the hundreds any given month. Megan proved very quickly to anyone she met that she had it.
For everyone who did not have the opportunity to work closely with Megan and see the level of heart and ownership she applies to her job I came up lied about a reason why I needed to interview her. Take a look at what it means to have it.
Interviewer: What is service?
Megan: To me service is when you selflessly choose to provide for your community through your strengths and skills for the betterment of others.
Why is service important?
Megan: I think service is important because there are so many ways we can improve the conditions of our community. We all can't make that change, that difference in a 48 hour work week. We have to do more.
Where do you see Habitat Northern Virginia with its many current/future projects in terms of its volunteers?
Well, first I hope I've been of service to all current and past volunteers. We can't operate without them. We have a paid staff of less than twenty people and to accomplish all of our goals year in and year out would be impossible without volunteers. We have to use the skills and talents of volunteers in their respected areas to continue our success of building decent homes for great families. I just want to make sure to find the right volunteers and I hope we've made them feel cherished within our organization. I just hope we have happy volunteers.
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Are our volunteers cherished? Yes. Are they happy? No. No one is happy when a person of such character is no longer by their side. Megan will be moving to Boston to attend Boston College's medical social work program. However, we all have been blessed to have Megan Coleman, champion of Habitat, person of it, be a part of our lives.
Good luck in all you do. Study hard and continue to change the world.
WARNING: For reasons of disclosure Megan wanted me to gloss over her words to get the message more defined, but I thought it was perfect. Except for the 48 hour work week.
