One of the areas Grounded Boots Relief has been refining is volunteer onboarding. As the organization grows, it becomes increasingly important that new volunteers understand not only what we do, but how we do it. To accomplish that, we have established a structured onboarding process that does not rely on any one person to carry the entire load.

At the center of that process are our Guides. Guides serve as mentors, connectors, and resources for new volunteers. They help answer questions, share their experience, and ensure new recruits know where to turn when they need assistance.

When someone applies to volunteer with Grounded Boots Relief, Volunteer Coordinator Sherry Strutz receives and reviews their information before assigning them a Guide. The Guide helps familiarize the volunteer with the Volunteer Handbook, the communication platforms we use, and the areas of the organization most relevant to their interests and goals. The objective is to help people find their lane and become successful within it.

For those interested in future leadership roles, serving as a Guide is also an excellent proving ground. It requires a strong understanding of the organization, effective communication skills, and a willingness to help others succeed. In many ways, Guides become some of the most knowledgeable people in the organization because they regularly help others navigate it.

We have also implemented virtual Welcome Meetings for prospective volunteers, new recruits, and existing Guides. Our next Welcome Meeting will be held on Discord on June 23 at 6:30 PM Eastern. If you are new to the organization, considering volunteering, or simply curious about what Grounded Boots Relief is all about, we encourage you to attend. The meeting includes a structured overview of the organization followed by an open forum for questions and discussion.

This Saturday, June 7, Grounded Boots Relief will host an American Heart Association CPR/AED and Stop the Bleed certification course led by cardiac arrest survivor Dr. Laura Block.

Emergencies happen without warning. Knowing how to respond in those critical first minutes can make the difference between life and death. This hands-on training equips participants with practical skills they can use at home, at work, on the road, or in the field.

Students will learn high-quality CPR, proper AED usage, and bleeding control techniques, and will receive American Heart Association certification upon completion.

Date: Saturday, June 7
Time: 2:30 PM
Location: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville Sanctuary
Cost: $75 per student

Space is limited, and registration is required.

Register here: https://givebutter.com/cpr-stop-the-bleed-aha-cert-hr7wsp

Invest a few hours. Gain skills that could save a life.

  Cardiac arrest victims who received CPR from a bystander were nearly 60% more likely to survive long enough to reach the hospital than those who received no CPR before emergency responders arrived. Sometimes the difference between life and death is a few minutes and someone willing to act.
Source: pubmed.gov

CPR/AED/Stop the Bleed: June 7

Virtual Volunteer Get Together: June 23

A Night at Sea Fundraiser: September 26

I have been on a bit of a recruitment kick lately, and the results are showing. We have welcomed quite a few new volunteers over the last several weeks, which is exciting. It is also forcing us to continue improving our onboarding process.

One of our recent initiatives has been making sure every volunteer moves through the same official process and is assigned roles that actually fit their interests and abilities. In the early days, we did a fair amount of what I affectionately call "guerilla onboarding." Someone would show up, want to help, and we'd figure it out as we went. That worked when we were small, but we always knew we would eventually need a more structured approach. We are now putting those systems in place, and the organization is stronger for it.

One lesson that keeps resurfacing is that I cannot do everything myself. Trust me, I have tried. Repeatedly. Usually with mixed results and a concerning amount of caffeine. As our leadership team continues to grow, I have been able to spend less time trying to keep every plate spinning and more time refining how the organization operates. Volunteers have stepped into leadership roles, taken ownership of departments, and begun shaping what those areas can become. Watching that happen has been incredibly rewarding.

One area that remains a major priority is marketing. For a long time, our marketing strategy has mostly consisted of me having an idea and immediately acting on it. Some would call that agile. Others would call it alarming. Either way, it has gotten us this far. But if Grounded Boots Relief is going to continue growing, we need structure, consistency, and someone focused on telling our story well. Marketing is how people learn about the impact being made, the needs that exist, and the opportunities to get involved. It is how missions become movements. I recently met with an exceptionally talented marketing professional, and it reminded me just how much potential there is when expertise is paired with purpose.

We are also beginning preparations for summer recruitment, particularly among college students and potentially high school students seeking volunteer opportunities. There are a number of specialized roles we would love to place people into, allowing them to gain experience while helping us improve the overall organization. If you are connected with a school, student group, or educational program that may be interested in partnering with us, please reach out at info@groundedbootsrelief.org.