Getting Involved
Volunteer Orientation The next meeting is Monday, April 14th 7:30 pm
Conference Room 15 / 17
40 South Fullerton Avemue
Come to the Crescent entrance and ring the Outpost buzzer.
Creating Our Community
(The following article appears in the
May–June 2004 Reader.)
About 5 years ago I decided I needed a volunteer activity that would help me give back to my community and get my head away from work. But there were a few problems. First, I work full time in a non-profit organization in an urban area. Most volunteer activities involve non-profit organizations in the urban areas. The last thing I wanted to do on the weekend was to do what I do all week long. Second, I have an active schedule, so I was reluctant to get involved. Plus, I’m over 40 and single commitment is something of an issue for me! I had heard of Outpost In the Burbs, and I became curious. I loved music, but a coffeehouse? Would it be full of granola-eating-Birkenstock-wearing hippie wannabes? My doubts waned when I saw that Freedy Johnston was playing. I knew his music (love his version of Wichita Lineman) and coaxed a friend into coming with me. The result… I loved it! I loved the small intimate setting. I loved the selection of artists. I loved the spirit of community. Over the next year or two I went to more and more concerts, and at each there was a plea for volunteers. But I was busy — too busy to get tickets in advance, too busy to find out more about volunteering and too busy until I showed up for concerts only to find out they were sold out. So I admit it…my first time volunteering was because I couldn’t get tickets. It was the Lucy Kaplansky/Richard Shindell Sanctuary show. Everyone made a fuss over the new volunteer and thanked me repeatedly. I was told I would be responsible for the “clicker” — counting the people who came through the front door. You would be surprised to find out how hard it actually is to count the correct number of people coming through. Once the show got started, I helped sell CDs. The show was great; the crowd loved it, and it went later than most other concerts. By the end of the night I was tired, but felt good knowing that I had helped a great organization, heard some great music and made some new friends. Well, the light finally went on. Here was the great volunteer activity I had been hoping to find. It involved something I loved (music), and it didn’t feel like a continuation of the work I do all week. Plus, the organization understands the needs of people like me. Volunteers may participate at as few or as many concerts as their schedules allow. A short time later, I went to a volunteer meeting. All these wonderful people got up and talked about the difference the Outpost had made in their lives. I was amazed at how many people came to the Outpost for activities besides the music: Habitat for Humanity, the Community FoodBank and local soup kitchens, Socrates Café® and others. But what about the music? I came for the music…and stayed! — Betsy Marinace
May–June 2003 Reader.)
Over the past four decades of my life, I’ve changed dramatically through each. Thankfully, each decade has brought a new level of maturity through new experiences, and importantly, an increased comfort level in walking in my own shoes. Through this evolution, there have been three very distinct denominators: my family, my career, and…. music. The music has come to mean different things throughout each decade. From playing in the school band, devouring the wonder of the early years of FM rock radio, attending concerts (many at the Outpost) or tending to my ever-expanding eclectic CD collection, there was always the music. My personal form of therapy — in good times and bad — music has always been the one constant that could take me away from the work, the family, and the pain of ruptured relationships. It always transported me to wherever I wanted to be, or transformed me into whatever I wanted to be. Three years ago I lost my father, who had always been my biggest fan, my family’s anchor, and the one and only source of unconditional love that I had ever known. That event began an exercise of introspection that continued to evolve and gain momentum throughout that year, into and beyond the events of 9-11 and the unceremonious entrance into my “fifth decade.” It was then that I knew that “the family” and “the work” needed to be re-prioritized, and “the music” needed to remain — now more than ever. Enter The Outpost in the Burbs. I decided it was time to begin “giving back.” What that meant, I wasn’t sure; but it needed to be something meaningful. My father’s passing allowed me to learn the age-old lesson that “life is indeed too short.” I had sporadically attended concerts at The Outpost for about 10 years and remember that the first time I called for information, I was greeted by a very friendly voice that welcomed me. Once I found “Outpost,” I couldn’t believe its intimate setting, its great music for a good price (you can’t beat Cliff Eberhardt for $12), and its friendly atmosphere. Those things brought me back again and again and truly spoiled me. It was just prior to a concert in the spring of 2002 that I decided to join the Outpost family. I didn’t buy tickets in advance and arrived only to find that the concert was sold out. Jane was working the ticket table and saw the disappointment on my face and searched high and low for someone who had a spare ticket. The gentleman she found then let me buy his extra ticket for half the face value. That floored me! That doesn’t happen at The Garden! Everyone enjoyed what they were doing and did so with a smile! It was at that concert that I learned what the Outpost was all about — service to the community. Bingo! Here is a place where I could do what I enjoyed, and give something back. After attending a volunteer open house, that sealed the deal. I learned that everyone (both new volunteers and seasoned veterans) came for similar reasons. It was like when you listen to public radio or watch PBS without becoming a member for several years. At some point, you just have to. This was my chance, and I’m so glad I took that chance. The Outpost is a community that serves the community. Through concerts, soup kitchens, or Habitat for the Humanity, it’s all about serving the community. Whether I’m serving refreshments, selling CD’s, or taking tickets, I’m with great people and hearing great music in an intimate atmosphere. The music is still with me, only now, it’s an even bigger part of my next decade. — Gina Auriemma
Next time you see a volunteer at a show take the time to tell him/her how much you appreciate his/her contribution to your Outpost experience. Thanks
Go to the Community Service page for details on that type of upcoming volunteer activity!
DIRECTIONS TO OUTPOST IN THE BURBS
OUTPOST IN THE BURBS
40 S. Fullerton Avenue
(FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH)
Montclair, NJ 07042-3396
973-744-6560
