This year, National Volunteer Week is April 23 to 29. At RCRG, our goal, as always, is to get the entire community involved in the celebration. If you're a volunteer, it's an opportunity to be recognized for your hard work and dedication. If you're a non-profit organization, it's a chance to thank your volunteers for everything they do. And for all Richmond residents, it's an occasion to reflect on our community, and the countless ways that volunteers contribute to it.
Considering that we want to involve as many people as possible, how, exactly, do we plan to celebrate? Well, here's a clue: a puzzle often published in newspapers (nine letters). Figured it out? Great! Then say it with us: to celebrate National Volunteer Week, we're creating a...Crossword!
Here's how it will work. From February 20 through March 22, we're asking the public to submit crossword clues related to volunteerism, along with the corresponding answer. To give you an idea of what we mean, here are a couple of examples:
Clue: Volunteering improves this
Answer: Health
Clue: Something you gain when you volunteer
Answer: Skills
Once we've collected the clues, we'll incorporate them into a crossword, listing the person (or organization) who submitted each clue. Then we'll overlay the crossword onto a map of Richmond, and print it in large format.
During National Volunteer Week, we'll display the crossword at the Richmond Caring Place, with pre-printed answers on a table next to it. Anybody will be able to "solve" a clue by selecting the appropriate answer and attaching it to the crossword. By the end of the week, the crossword will be complete: a visual representation - and celebration - of volunteerism in our community!
As the project progresses, we'll be posting photos and updates on Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to follow along!
All that's left now is for you to get involved, and you can by submitting a clue below!