Want to know how our members feel about Single Volunteers? Or get feedback from the organizations
for whom we volunteer? Read on....
Our members are saying...
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria was GREAT!!
There were 500 registrations and some people brought more than one dog, can you believe
it!? It was fun seeing so many people with their pets. A special relationship for sure!
Some of the events required more work from the owner than the pet. The best was the
frisbee toss and the ice cream eating event. At the end of the competition medals were
awarded for fastest time.
SVDC was assigned to the registration tables. There were plenty of us so breaks to see
some of the actual event was possible. I would definitely go again and next time maybe
SVDC can work at one of the pet competitions.
I want to thank SVDC and LDRF[Lost Dog & Cat Rescue] for my volunteer
opportunity yesterday. It was my first such opportunity, but it won't be the last. I enjoyed my
self thoroughly, felt good to be doing something that matters, and loved
meeting both the SVDC and LDRF folks. They were all great. Kudos to Christina,
our team leader too. I know how hard she worked to make
it all come together without a hitch.
My compliments to SVDC on partnering with such a wonderful organization.
LDRF is doing a very important job, and with some fantastic volunteers, and
SVDC volunteers were wonderful too. They all reflect the best in the
"volunteer ethic" that should be more prevalent in this country!
I just wanted to write a quick note to let you know
how much I enjoyed my first experience with Single
Volunteers. I particpated in the Lost Dog Rescue at
the Chantilly Petco Friday night (9/13) and had a lot
of fun. It was nice to meet new people and help out
at the same time. Our social afterward was just as
rewarding and our team leader, Tammy, did an
excellent job managing the whole shebang. I would
recommend this project to anyone. Thanks for giving
me the opportunity to participate!
I attended the social on Friday - my first SVDC event and it was
delightful! Absolutely everyone I encountered was open and warm and
friendly - I could hardly believe I was in D.C. I had extensive
conversations with two women and about five men......probably more quality
"get to know you time" than I have experienced in months. Several folks
were new like me, one had attended 4 volunteer activities and one woman had
only gone to the zoo once - but she knew at least five people and familiar
faces from that one event. I would call that incredible success.
I think that you have done a truly
wonderful thing setting up this little group. I'm meeting some of the
coolest people I've met in this town in years, there's almost none of
that self-important DC coolness thing going on, and between this, my new
friends, and my other commitments, my weekends are full and fun and
exciting. Thank both you and Catharine for actually doing something very positive about the
difficulty of meeting truly cool (as in hip, not as in self important
and distant :)) people in DC.
This was a GREAT event [hike, and tour of the Naturalist Center] and Liz really
did a really good job. The hike was
fun, lots of really nice people and of course we couldn't have had better
weather. I was afraid that the Naturalist Center would be boring, but, no
way! It really was interesting. At the wine tasting I sat with a group of
about 4 others and we just really hit it off! In fact, I definitely want to
do more wine tastings. One last thing, there was a woman in our group named
Martha, who had a really good idea-a gift of a bottle of wine for Liz from the
group of us to say thank you. Well, I'm gonna check the website now for more
voluteering and socials.
First off, let me tell you what a great time I had on Saturday night at the
Headliners club. :) It was my very first SVDC event (project or social)
and not because I am so new to the list or haven't had the time to
participate in the past. Honestly, I have a tendency to be quite shy at
times and I was simply very nervous about joining in. I've probably been
watching your website and mailing list for six months but never took the
step. You'll be happy to know that it all melted away so fast on Saturday,
and I'm definitely glad that I went. :) The SVDCers really are a
wonderful group of genuine people, and I hated to leave! I came
home and immediately signed up for the Zoo project this weekend.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for coming up with the brilliant
idea of SVDC. It is the best thing that has happened to me since I moved to
DC. As you know I have recently lost my job, but SVDC has kept me from
getting depressed and feeling sorry for myself. Being able to help others
who have bigger problems than I do really is a reality check. It was also
great to say that I was going to a comedy club with 90 friends when asked
what I was doing for Valentines Day. Liberty Mission was a great activity.
Maybe one of my favorites, with the zoo and Food & Friend not far behind.
I'm am really looking forward to next weekend with the Zoo and Liberty
Mission packed into one weekend.
I joined SVDC about two months ago (it was the people magazine ad!) and
attended several events. I really enjoyed the events and socials but at the
last event I attended (at the zoo!) the impossible happened and I actually
met someone. We've been dating about a month and it's going extremely well.
In fact it's going so well I'm waiting for something to happen to ruin my
happiness!
So anyway I'm about to sign off the SVDC list but I wanted to write to you
just to say thank you. It's a wonderful organization and you do a terrific
job. There aren't many people who would be able to keep it going as you
have.
Hiya, Dana! I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how
much I enjoyed my first SVDC outings, Saturday's social and Sunday's
Liberty Mission clean-up. I just keep saying to myself, "What a cool
bunch of people!" I feel like I'm finally coming in contact with the
sort of people I had hoped to meet when I decided to move back to D.C.
It's a wonderful concept you came up with when you started the group,
and the assortment of opportunities you guys coordinate is great. Thanks
so much for your efforts; keep up the good work!
The people we help are saying...
Thank you so much for sending SVDC volunteers to Lifeline Partnership's SMILEY FACES DANCE for people with developmental disabilities on Saturday, August 24. Everyone from SVDC was TERRIFIC! Especially Team Leader Carolyn! She really knows how to help volunteers and participants alike have a fantastic time. While I didn't think it was possible to top our last group from SVDC, this group was the best we've ever had. They really jumped in: they were cooperative, friendly, enthusiastic, helpful, and efficient. But, even more importantly, they were marvelous at interacting with our participants with developmental disabilities. For our final song of the evening, the volunteers got everyone into a circle dance for "That's What Friends Are For." I was in tears -- I was so touched by how each of the volunteers had helped in some way to make the event such a fun experience for our participants. And I was also touched by the volunteers' willingness to ALL get into that final circle dance and sing along with the counselor who amazingly jumped in as karaoke-diva to lead us all in singing with her. I couldn't have hoped for a finer group of good-hearted volunteers. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. You and SVDC truly make the world a better place.....
With a grateful heart,
Marybeth Fox-Grimm
Executive Director
Lifeline Partnership*
*Serving people with developmental disabilities since 1954
This is a long overdue thank you for sending all those volunteers our way
for our exhibit at the Arlington County Fair. All three coordinators were
wonderful to work with and the volunteers were very enthusiastic about the
tasks we asked them to help with. I am so impressed at the level of organization and coordination exhibited
by Single Volunteers. All of the shift coordinators brought their own name
tags and some snacks for the volunteers and most everyone arrived on time
and ready to get to work. The volunteers worked great as a team. This is so impressive given that
most of them had never met each other before. This year's exhibit was our
biggest one yet at the county fair, so we needed an unprecedented number of
volunteers. Thanks to Single Volunteers of DC, we were able to draw a lot
of people to our exhibit and educate them on important food topics. We are so grateful for all the help provided by Single Volunteers of DC.
Thanks again for all your help.
Jennifer Abel
Arlington County Fair
I just got home after National Public Lands Day (NPLD) at Pohick Bay I want
thank you, Connie, and each and every one of the 45+ SVDC volunteers
who came. I am one of the NPLD organizers. SVDC volunteers joined the other 85
volunteers to make this day the BEST NPLD in the three years which I have
organized the event for the Bureau of Land Mangement. Brian Hennessy, the
Park's Manager and co- organizer of the event shares my opinion.
The SVDCers made a critical erosion control project their own, they
also helped build a new trail, repair an existing trail, and work with
landscapers and the archaeologist at Gunston Hall. The hardworkers of SVDC
added a lot more than their numbers to the event's success. A solid core
of SVDC stayed to the end finish the projects that they worked on after
others called it a day. I can't tell you how good it feels to put in a lot of work putting together
what I believe is worthy effort to benefit our public lands and and not
only have it come off safely, and accomplish a ton of work, but also have
SVDC volunteers come and thank me for helping to give them a chance to come
out and do hard labor for a good cause! I appreciate SVDC's response to NPLD.
You and the people who make SVDC happen are doing a great thing. You have my
most sincere thanks.
Joe Zilincar
Bureau of Land Management
I want to thank you for all of the help that was provided by SVDC. Everyone was beyond terrific! Not only
was everyone flexible in what they were doing, they did what ever was asked well
and were always looking for a way to help. If you have any way of passing
along our thanks, please do. I did not get addresses for your group. I
hope to work with you and other members of SVDC in the future. Please stay
in touch.
Kim Sheridan
Potomac West Community Activities
You and your group were lifesavers! hope no one was too disappointed
about having to sit around and wait for the start of the race -- just
our way of helping those singles mix and get to know one another!
Thank you for the quick turnaround and for delivering so many great
people to us. Everyone was thrilled to have them here.
Meredeth King
Run for Research
I just wanted to stop for a moment to thank you for the phenomenal amount
of help that was lent by your svdc'ers. They were absolutely fantastic,
as are you for contacting them in the first place. I can't express just how much
we appreciate the volume of people that
you were able to provide in a pinch. I made a point of telling just
about every SVDC caller that you were my "new best friend," and simply
the greatest because of the quickness with which you responded to our
cry for help!
Once again, Dana, Thanks a million for doing what you did. I look forward
to working with you and your great group of volunteers again in the very
near future.
Michelle G. Diggs
Volunteer Coordinator/Executive Assistant
American Lung Association
Thank you, thank you, thank you! The Barbados loading on Sunday came
off well. We put 393 bikes and several hundred boxes and miscellaneous
parts aboard in a little over three hours. We also taped much of the
work (a litle repetitive after a while, but hey, that's what the editing
room floor is for!). Kathy was great, and I enjoyed meeting the diverse crew. I hope they
had a satisfying time as well. Again, I need to find a way to keep the
pace up, to minimize the standing-around time...maybe if I turn 30 again
and double my energy level!?
A satisfied SDC client,
Keith Oberg
Washington DC Area Coordinator
Pedals for Progress
I just wanted to say thank you for posting a volunteer opportunity last
week in your mailing for Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation. If it
weren't for SVDC, we would not have had the volunteers we needed to staff a
pottery booth at The March on Saturday. SVDC volunteers were GREAT! They
helped children paint tiles that will become part of a wellness wall at
Walter Reed hospital. The kids were appreciative and I hope it was a good
experience for the volunteers.
Thanks again. They were the best!
Cathi Breza
Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation
We are so grateful for all of the help that the SingleVolunteers gave us! 25
volunteers came to help. Before they came, only the walls of the maze and 1
other room had been erected, and nothing had been painted. By the time they
finished, they had repaired and built all remaining walls (6 more rooms, I
believe), and painted the entire maze (lots of walls) and a few other rooms.
We did not expect that they would be that fast! Normally this work takes us
weeks to accomplish, and by the time Haunted House opens, we're pretty tired.
This year we will have lots of energy and assistance from SingleVolunteers for
our performances.
Janice Soloman
Rockville Jaycees
To all who helped us at Bears Den: THANK YOU, from those of us
here, and from the Appalachian Trail Conference. Your accomplishments were more than
we had expected. The roof is repaired on the picnic shelter, the wood shed is
completed, the fuel box was painted, the vines removed at the entrance to the hostel, windows
were painted, the ceiling was installed under the front entrance, and probably some other
work that does not come to mind. We would like to have you consider a weekend
visit next year. Until then, good wishes to all of you.
Dave Appel
Appalachian Trail Conference
DC Singles has been such a beautiful blessing to us,
anchoring our week with strong service and diligent, caring people. We
really like having you here.
Greg Smiley
Food and Friends
Single Volunteers,
Thank you to Seth and all the volunteers who came out to support the Rosemary
Hills Halloween Party. The party was a great success, thanks to your support.
Again, thank you,
Jocelyn Brooks
Director, Rosemary Hills Community Center
I just wanted to thank you for all the great work the group did. I
really appreciated the job you did, and other members of the staff
told me what a wonderful group you all were. I hope that everyone
enjoyed their visit here and will come enjoy the refuge on their own
time. Please pass this on to the people that were here. If you
needed a project in the future, don't hesitate to come back. We would
love to have you.
Jessica
Nature Preserve, Laurel MD
Thanks again for all the help your gaggle of 40 or so hard-working folks
gave us at the clothing drive. We've never finished sorting and bagging
the
clothing so early before, and certainly never had a group of volunteers
with
enough energy for cheers and applause at the end of their shift!! Sure
hope
we can bring some of your dedicated volunteers back to mix in with our
various law-firm types again next December.
Erin Monaghan
Gifts for the Homeless, Inc