In response to the anonymous poster: I understand what you are saying
when you state that some contacts prefer to deal with only one person and
no one else from that organization.  I personally find this to be more
the exception than the rule but then again, I am only one person.
 
My experience has been that if you work with a contact long enough, and
let them know up front (or work up to it along the way) that they may be
dealing with another member from your group, I feel that as long as your
intentions are good, it is rare to hear anything but support because your
beliefs in the cause pass on to your contacts like a good virus.  They
feed off of your excitement and thus are more willing to share because
they see the benefits too.  It's a given that ferrets can be a hard
sell to non-ferret people even for the best of us, but with the right
motivation, even a dung beetle can have the support of a crowd.  Building
contacts is important for the survival of any volunteer run organization.
When a volunteer leaves and takes ALL contacts with them, one has to
wonder what the true motivation was behind them volunteering in the first
place.  Personally, I am very suspicious of people who tell me "they
don't want to deal with anyone else but me." If the cause is true and
your intentions have been made clear, a transition to deal with another
volunteer should go relatively smoothly.  Call me naive, but I did not
volunteer my time, my creative talents, my mind or body, just to take it
all away should the day come that I may have to leave our organization.
My belief is that if the cause is worth fighting for, then I am helping
it grow.  I won't be helping by making a drawing line and taking it all
with me when I go.  I know full well I would be hurting the organization.
 
As a counterpoint, I also understand that some people like to move from
organization to organization, volunteering their time at different
places, perhaps to learn the various processes, or just to have a change
of pace or scenery.  But the people I know who do this have told me that
they always allow the contact to make the choice of whether or not they
want to continue their relationship with a given charity.  Understand
that this is done in an environment of good faith, of good intentions,
and with the understanding that the next charity you may choose to
volunteer for may not get the support of your contact.  Remember...
contacts have to believe in a cause to support it.  To me, this is a fair
and ethical relationship of client and contact by allowing the contact to
choose.
 
I would agree that *some* volunteers don't know about the rules of
joining an organization but I would not agree that most don't.
Volunteering has been around for a long time.  There is no definitive
drawing line between organizations like the Cancer Society, Heart and
Lung Association, the Red Cross and a long term ferret rescue in terms
of its volunteers other than what people choose to make in their minds.
The only difference is that people at the top of the first three get a
pay check, while shelters don't have that luxury.  Volunteering, simply
stated, is work for no pay, regardless of what you do or what
organization you choose to volunteer for.
 
All volunteer based organizations have troubles with their volunteers and
theft, but I strongly feel most of this stems from fear, or rather lack
of fear.  Nothing keeps a person more in line with their employer than
the fear of losing a paycheck.  Volunteers have no such incentive in
place and thus they feel they can do what ever, or how little they want,
including taking what they feel is *rightfully* theirs.  But as you say a
contract would help clarify that point for those that seem unclear about
the concept of volunteering.  Some cities do have organizations dedicated
to helping charities with volunteer issues.  I urge anyone who has this
opportunity, take it.  They are very helpful and informative.
 
Some people tend to blow off volunteer work and treat it more like it is
something to do when they don't have anything better to do.  But truly
dedicated volunteers are worth their weight in gold.  They sweat blood
and tears in their efforts to see their seedling contributions blossom
into bringing more to their cause.  And nothing stops them.  They build
contacts that are intended for the organization and not for themselves.
They bring life and vitality because of their belief in the cause.  I
personally would not want a volunteer putting in a single moment for
our organization if the ferrets were not the upper most focus of their
intentions.  At times, I get volunteers who meld me with the cause.  To
them, I am the organization, but the reality is that I am not.  I am
only a cog in the wheel, but I am not the wheel.  Sometimes it's hard
for people to make the separation.  I bleed, I cry, I recover and go on.
The organization bleeds, it's a long hard recovery.
 
I understand also what you are saying about the treatment of volunteers
with good and bad eggs being on both sides.  I guess that also needs to
be tempered with opinion and point of view for one man's heaven is
another man's hell.
 
betty and her blur o'fur
for the love of ferrets...
[Posted in FML issue 4121]