Rex Prater, AIA
AIA Eugene Section Director

Volunteers Build a Better Us

Thanks for Volunteering, Everyone! Now that I am solidly one month into 2022, as Section Director for the Eugene area, I find myself saying this every chance I have a moment with membership. Having participated in this organization for awhile, always a volunteer, I’ve found it a very rewarding experience. I know we pay dues, which in part affords us a professional staff that assist us and manage this professional organization, but so much of what we want to do requires volunteer support. It takes a team and I’ve found it a true privilege to be a part of and participate in this organization - this includes a big show of appreciation to Colin Dean for all his service having just concluded his Directorship for the Eugene Section.

If you are searching for the most important take-away in this message, it would be in recognizing and celebrating all the volunteers within our AIA Oregon community. You all are awesome! Sometimes it feels to me that we don’t celebrate you enough. That’s probably why I was inspired to make it my topic today. So how about this idea… let’s celebrate our volunteers more like we celebrate our design awards. I think we do really well at this because there are sure a lot of design awards out there! Volunteers? - not so much.

So, as I wrap up this message and rush off to fulfill another task which I’ve just delayed in order to try and craft this crafty message, please recognize and celebrate volunteering. Thank you for volunteering. There are only so many tomorrows and if you have talent to give, or have an interest you think is worth supporting, please do it! Again, thank you everyone for volunteering!