Hello everyone,
As many of you know, I'm in school to be a professional event organizer. As such, I am required to volunteer at various events in my community, and to plan & run a fundraiser for the Children's Wish foundation in March. A couple weeks back I had the opportunity to attend Carp Fair (an agricultural festival just outside of Ottawa), and I volunteered for Bike for Beats (a cycling fundraiser for the Ottawa Heart Institute). At both, I noticed something that I've noted in the past, but often ignored: politicians and volunteers for political parties often volunteer at these events.
They don't go to talk about their platforms, or why they should be elected, though if someone asks, they're happy to share those thoughts. They generally dress to match the event's theme, add on the pin of their political party, and have a few brochures, business cards, and pins to hand out if people are interested. I'm sure we've all been served on Camp Day by our local MP or MPP at some time or another. And I'm sure you've heard about them attending other events in your area.
People seeking election often bring up the places they've volunteered, the marches they've been in, and any local/provincial/federal initiatives they've "helped" succeed. They're a part of their rosy profiles online, and you read it in their individual brochures. Although people may not talk politics at a lot of these events, they do take note of who showed up and helped out.
What I'd like to suggest is that pirate party members get active in their communities as volunteers, especially if you've set yourselves up to be candidates in the next election. Dress appropriate to the event, wear a pin, and don't be afraid to tell people what the party is about. If someone asks what the pin is for, don't reply with "I'm a member of the pirate party", reply with something that tells them about our platform, preferably in relation to the event at hand (if possible), and at the end of it, mention the party name itself. Volunteering even as little as 5 hours a month is peanuts, even with our busy schedules, and could be a great thing for the party, especially if several pirates volunteer for the same event at the same time.
It's free advertising (ok, cost of a button), engenders happy thoughts from the electorate, and bulks up your CV's volunteer section (especially useful if you're trying for scholarships at college/university *wink wink*).
What do people think of this idea? Who is going to put it to use?
Also, I'll probably need some volunteers for a winter carnival in Ottawa at the beginning of March Break. There will be kids, parents & grandparents, which means a nice section of the electorate who are concerned about the world their kids/grandkids will be growing up in. Keep it in mind, I'll post a request closer to the date.
-Shawn Gray, OCT
http://www.shawngray.cahttp://thenortherncyclist.wordpress.com
