We all have seasons in our lives – times when we have plenty of extra time and energy to volunteer and give back – and other times when family and work commitments make it impossible to do more than just keep up with your daily life.

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your local chapter or The Mommies Network. We are always so grateful for our volunteers. But even with a great volunteer team, our chapters cannot be successful without an additional key element: an active and engaged membership.

Being an active member of your chapter is an investment. It does take time, but its time you are spending already while on the chapter website or at a chapter event. It’s how you spend that time that makes the difference.

Participate. Engage with the community. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. You show your “shiny happy” face on Facebook – feel free to show your “just-out-of-bed-and-haven’t-had-my-coffee-yet” face on your TMN chapter. We want to be a real community – and that starts with being real people who care about each other.

How can you be an active member of your chapter?

In addition to posting and attending events, consider taking it a step further and spending a little time each week welcoming new members in the Introduce Yourself forum or answering member questions on the general forums. If you are a part of a support group, share your experiences with the other members and respond to their questions with encouragement and support. Share a fun activity or business your family likes in your Area Group so other members can check it out. Take time and show interest in the other members of your chapter.

If you are interested in volunteering, but can’t find the time for a long-term position, consider joining your chapter’s Chapter Support Group. This group is made up of volunteers and members willing to help out with small, short-term tasks to benefit the chapter. Help out for a week with an online task or stick around late at an event for clean-up duty. Even just a few extra moments of your time can be a huge benefit to your chapter.

The more you put into your chapter, the more you will get out of it. If you join, post once, show up at one event and give up, you’ll miss out on a lot of great friendships for yourself and your kids! Take the time to invest in your chapter as an active participant – you will most certainly be rewarded for your efforts!

BE A SPARK this week:

• Reach out to other members on your chapter
• Be a true part of your chapter’s community
• Join your Chapter Support Group and help out with small tasks when you can

Until next time,
Heather