Volunteering: Burgundy Crescent | Cyberactivism | Pandas | H.A.V.E.N. | Literacy | Mystics
Sports: Wrestling | Ruby Dee | Book Reviews | Carefree Resort

Tell us what you think about our articles! Accepted letters will be published online.

Burgundy Social Workers
by Melanie H. Alston-Akers

If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity, your best bet may be the Burgundy Crescent Volunteers. This group of GLBT brothers and sisters formed earlier this year to offer volunteering opportunities at gay and gay-friendly organizations.

Angela Hunt, Eric Cohen, and Jonathan Blumenthal were determined about volunteering with their community. They also wanted to meet people and have fun. The three met while volunteering with GLOVES, a GLBT volunteer organization for singles. But once Eric and Jonathan started dating, they were no longer welcomed at the singles group. And then GLOVES itself disappeared.

When the three couldn’t find a new group, Burgundy Crescent Volunteers was born. But what about that name? Hunt says, “We couldn’t think of anything meaningful, so we went for what would make a good logo.” And the Burgundy Crescent Volunteers (BCV) logo is quite spiffy, viewable on their website at www.burgundycrescent.org, as well as on mugs and t-shirts.

Although the group formed recently, in February, they already have approximately 130 regular volunteers. Some were recruited from old GLOVES lists, and BCV also conducted outreach to the community.

Anne-Margaret Olsson learned about BCV from Angela Hunt. She wanted to find a way to stay in contact with the gay community after ending a flag football season. “I tagged along with Angie to the next BCV event and have been an active volunteer ever since,” she says.

While at a Reel Affirmations film in March, Beau James heard an announcement about BCV. He recently moved to this area from the Midwest, and “was looking for activities that would involve me in the community and meet like minded-folks.”

Kevin Buck saw a link to the BCV website. Kevin says he decided to join because “I had done volunteer work in Los Angeles and New York City, and I wanted to get involved in my new home, Washington, DC.

BCV has been very active, and has developed a substantial curriculum vitae. Volunteers have participated at: PFLAG-DC’s Gala; Reel Affirmations Xtra and Monthly film showings; Youth Pride; Black Pride; the GLAAD Media Awards; AIDS Action Awards; the GLBT Arts Festival and Benefit Concert; a Goodwill Embassy Tour at the Indonesian Embassy; as well as concerts of the Lesbian & Gay Chorus. Members also volunteer on a regular basis with Food & Friends, the Mautner Project, DC AIDS Ride, and Reel Affirmations.

BCV is providing an invaluable service to the community – a one-stop shop for volunteers. “They have a large pool of volunteers and are very flexible,” says Julie Dixon, the operations manager for Reel Affirmations. As operations manager, Dixon is responsible for coordinating the volunteers at RA events. BCV has made her job much easier. “Burgundy Crescent Volunteers are regulars at our monthly film screenings. They are very mature and reliable,” she notes. Dixon was so impressed with the volunteers that she chose a few to serve as venue managers during RA’s Annual Film Festival in October. “The people at Burgundy Crescent are completely professional. I would recommend them to any group looking for volunteers.”

The community groups aren’t the only beneficiaries of BCV’s work. The volunteers love the experience as well. Not only do they do good work for someone else, but they get to hang out in a friendly and fun atmosphere. “BCV is a fun way to meet people,” explains Hunt. “It’s far from the bar scene. We’re a place where people can go and easily find something they like to do. If you’re on your own, you have to contact each community group separately.”

One of the most important aspects of any BCV activity is the ability to socialize. Although any gay/gay-friendly organization can contact the group about volunteer availability, they should have activities that allow for interaction between the volunteers. “The first thing we ask ourselves,” Hunt explains, “is will the volunteers have fun.”

This approach is very successful. Volunteers are very enthusiastic about their experiences, as well as committed to helping others. Patrick McNelis has been volunteering with BCV for the past two months. He became involved because it seemed like a good way to learn about volunteering with many different organizations. “[BCV] makes getting out and doing things easy, interesting, and beneficial to others.”

Nikki DiPalma and her partner were both looking for volunteer opportunities. “We wanted to assist organizations and people in our community in an atmosphere in which we could also socialize.” DiPalma says that “one of the great things about BCV is that you have the opportunity to sign up for a variety of activities at a variety of times. You pick and choose what you want to participate in and when. All of the volunteers that I have had the pleasure of working with have been more than helpful and willing to go the extra mile when needed.”

BCV also offers Volunteer Coordinator positions – leadership opportunities – on a regular basis. If a volunteer is interested in coordinating BCV activities for a particular event, they generally need only ask. Or a volunteer who shows a flair for organizing may be asked to coordinate activities. That’s what happened to DiPalma. “Jonathan [Blumenthal] asked my partner and myself to coordinate a couple events. [Capital] Pride was a really big one, we had over 20 volunteers to coordinate with six activities throughout the day. Being a volunteer coordinator for an event like Pride took alot of time, effort, and organization.” But she enjoyed the experience and says she’d take on a similar position again.

Most volunteers have participated in events with multiple groups and have enjoyed them all. “I really have enjoyed every function that I have volunteered for with BCV,” says Olsson. “I leave knowing that I have helped someone or some organization just by giving a little of my time.”

The Burgundy Crescent Volunteers are a big hit, both with community groups and with their members. The coordinators of BCV are dedicated and responsible. Volunteers receive weekly email newsletters about upcoming activities, and the website is regularly updated.

Olsson notes that “Jonathan, Eric, and Angela have done a fabulous job finding a need within the gay community and filling that need. It is unbelievable how many groups need volunteers and how difficult it can be to find people to help. BCV is a way to help find those volunteers and get them connected with the organizations that need the help. Hats off to Jonathan, Eric, and Angie for their hard work!!” And hats off to all the volunteers who have answered BCV’s call.

For more info about Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, see www.burgundycrescent.org. To join, email angela@burgundycrescent.org or jonathan@burgundycrescent.org. Gay or gay-friendly organizations looking for volunteer help should email jonathan@burgundycrescent.org.

back to top
back to Features