What sort of organizations are you voluntarily involved in?

Professional associations for my research, a choir and a singing group
my church congregation. I think that's it.

I made this survey because I've been reading about how important voluntary organisations are for the economy and for the social fabric of society and I wondered what groups people here are involved in.

I'm not a joiner.

Not into anything - I barely have time for myself....

I am in Kiwi Tenpin, and PAWS (Protection and Welfare Society for ferrets in New Zealand).

none sadly

Hi Kirsty! I love New Zealanders. I know that's prejudice but hey!

None, I used to help at a hospital and be in a choir, but college work got on top of me.

I'm involved in my own fan group...anyone have the hots for Legolas, Aragorn or Frodo?

None.

My children's school council (parents, school reps and community reps)

I'm in a couple of music things, and a thing called junior achievement...I don't know what that's filed under. I almost tried out for field hockey today, but that was mainly so I wouldn't have to go to violin.

what's junior achievement?

i volunteer at a youth organization(gay,lesbian and transgender youth). and i volunteer as a master gardener at the local county extension.
and i am involved with the local lesbian, gay, transgender group/activists.
professionally, i belong to the state organization but only go to events rarely.

good survey, i've been volunteering to local organizations more and more......... it gives me a great feeling about giving back time to others and it also lets me meet many people in the community that i might not come into contact with otherwise.
volunteering with youth is great....... they are 13 to 23 years old and are a great group of kids!!!!!!

Cool. I used to work with a youth organisation too. It's amazing seeing the way they develop.

Member of a few animal rights organizations. Member of Bat Conservation Internaitonal. Volunteer at local animal shelter. Volunteer at local youth sobriety group. Am a mentor for youth in recovery. Am in a theatre group.

Good for you!

Ferrets rock!

I have no time for these sort of things

It's an entrepreneaurship thing. Basically, students create a company, then run it. There are advisors, who provide adult help, but basically you run your own company, then liquidate at the end of the year.

Hobby-related and political/activist groups.

What sort of companies have they set up?
They must get depressed when they have to liquidate at the end of the year, if the company's been successful...

Well, we sell belts. You can pretty much sell any sort of reasonable product or service, as long as you provide it yourself. We make the belts, then sell them. I actually don't know about the end of the year, this is my first time doing it because it is only offered in high school. I think it must be, but I'm hoping that if we have belts left at the end of the year, we get them for free!

That's a pretty poor incentive to sell them, though!

I guess that's why I've only sold one...to myself! I've never been much of a seller, I'm not forceful enough.

Do you have any rainbow belts for sale?

Maybe you could post a picture... some of us might buy a belt!

I think we do...or did. I haven't gone for a very long time.

I don't know...maybe. Do you think anyone would buy them!?

Do you still have my email?
Could you let me know if you do??

Sure! I'll ask them tueday night.

Depends what they look like....

That's true....there might be pictures on the website. I'm not sure.

I sit on the board of directors of one 501(c)3 corporation and have turned down a request to run for the board of another. Between these two and a few others I volunteered for about 200 hours in 2001, which is a little lower than average because I'm working for a startup these days.

The Syney Hare Krishna Temple http://www.iskcon.com.au/

Thanks Dino, you just love away i'll let you...

what's a 501(c)3 corporation?

it's a type of non-profit corporation.

In the US, 501(c)3 is shorthand for the main sort of tax-exempt charitable organization. The term comes from the section of the tax code which provides a tax deduction to people who donate to these corporations; there are also other kinds of tax-exempt organizations which do not benefit from this incentive for donations but which still don't have to pay income tax.

Thanks. I don't think we have a special name for them here. There are certainly organisations where donations are tax-deductible (particularly overseas aid organisations, Amnesty or health-related charities). When we lived in the USA, I was amazed to find that donations to churches are tax-deductible. Seems strange for a country that makes a lot of noise about the separation of church and state!

I volunteer to be the Survey Central member to finally stand up and shout, "natsim is more than just an absurd member name - the *member* is not worthy of the things that stick to shoe scum!"

There, I said it. I only said what we've all been thinking for a long time now, "natsim". It's for your own good that you become aware of what a crap-face you are perceived to be - and, *being* a crap-face is, alas, *some*thing you've managed to do with a mighty success.

Rude much?

It's so cute, Mandy, when you try to form words with the entire syllable count of one (each). You're an amusing little camper.

Hmmm, we love natsim too. But we don't love you.

Hey, BigStuff-two-eighty-whatever: Are you *INTENTIONALLY* trying to hurt my feelings? What did I ever do to *you*? Other than once give you the simple truth about yourself. (If you don't *want* to believe you're a nuisance to even the gnats of the world, then *fine*, don't take it literally.) Until you straighten out your own and begin to learn walking upright - get off my back!

Loving you, scout!

Oh, I've squashed plenty of gnats in my time and I can easily see how I'm a nuisance to people like my little brother.

As for intentionally hurting your feelings, nothing was further from my mind. See, I don't really believe that you have any feelings. Troll's don't have feelings, do they?

So are you.

I gotta admit, you've gained quite a few points these last go-arounds. Press on, rock on.

Biggie: Aside from displaying your body weight with your member names, do you do anything that resembles an attempt to entertain those in your environment? You might go back to the frowny-face clown bit. Who cares if Barnum and Bailey have you type-cast by now? Hey, whatever puts the monkey brains on the table for the kiddos, right?

Sorry, I think you'll find that those are monkeeeeee brains.

You want me, don't you?

Like JFK needs a hole in the head - you *know* it. :)

mmmmmmm
Dead presidents. You know all the right things to say.

I'm not involved in anything.I'm trying to start a band,but that's not an organization.I hate organizations.