BRING Volunteer of The Year Charlie Fleishman is BRING's nominee for Volunteer of the Month (and) Volunteer of the Year. Charlie has given valuable time as webmaster to BRING for seven years. He originally volunteered for BRING at its old location at Broadway and Lincoln, answering phones a few days a week to enable staff to spend more time on their daily work. Before BRING moved the office to the Warehouse location, Charlie was hired as part of the team and spent a year and a half as “Community Relations Specialist,” answering recycling inquiries from the public, designing pickup routes for cardboard collection, and working on the BRING newsletter. As an early recycler and co-founder of Wildtime Foods, Charlie could share his business acumen and knowledge of recycling with BRING's staff and clientele. For over 35 years he has recognized the huge difference we can make by cutting down on waste as much as possible and rethinking our use of material and products that enter the waste stream. As webmaster for BRING, Charlie uploads and edits information on a website he helped develop. He adds pages and images, and helps BRING employees with their input to the website. Charlie facilitates BRING's quarterly newsletter, adding it to the website so it can be accessed electronically to save resources and reduce printing and mailing costs. He keeps in contact with BRING's employees via email, working with them on site contents and making suggestions as needed. He keeps the website updated and organized and oversees its day to day needs. Charlie knows that BRING has been very appreciative of his services, and can see he is serving in a capacity that makes a real difference to the organization. Charlie could be considered a “professional volunteer.” Beginning in the early 1980s, he began volunteering with the Oregon Track Club. He was a member of the OTC board for five years, and treasurer for two years. He was also active in the club's Masters section during most of that time, serving as both vice-president and president and on the OTCM board for over ten years, and co-editing the club newsletter for five years. Several years ago Charlie designed a website for OTC, and continues to maintain and update it. He also volunteered in various capacities for OTC's Butte to Butte run and at a number of local road races over the past 25 years. Charlie's volunteer hours total in the thousands over the years, earning him respect and thanks from the recipients-non-profit organizations that reap the benefit of his skills and time. Other organizations that Charlie serves are his high school class, maintaining its website and online newsletter, the Eugene Jewish Genealogy Group that he serves as board member, treasurer, and webmaster, and Habitat for Humanity who he assists with their Website in his native home in Dutchess County, New York. Reasons why Charlie has given his time so generously range from his wanting to be involved and making himself useful, to the realization that he can make a difference using the skills he has developed. His parents were role models for him, demonstrating the value of volunteerism and instilling the value of giving without expectation of reciprocity. Charlie recognizes that many may not realize they have skills they can contribute to causes like BRING_and encourages people to examine their skill sets-whether accountant, computer whiz or carpenter. We all benefit by taking advantage of the opportunity to share our skills with organizations that are attempting to make a positive difference. Charlie believes that people are willing to help if asked, as evidenced by the outpouring of kindness during recent catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina. When Charlie started with BRING, he didn't really know how he could contribute, but as he developed his computer skills he found a way to help that has an impact on BRING's ability to reach people worldwide. Charlie's story might inspire other professionals to consider giving a few hours of their time to a cause they believe in. It doesn't have to be all-consuming. when many people each give a little, the accumulation of talent and skill can make a significant difference. Charlie is known as one who cares about others, and not someone who just gives lip service to his beliefs. He collaborates, contributes and serves when and where he can to accomplish good.
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