virginia beach 2014 volunteer report

8/10/2019 Virginia Beach 2014 Volunteer Report

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December 05, 2014

The Honorable William D. Sessoms Jr., MayorMembers of City Council

Dear Council Members:

I am proud to provide you with our Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Annual Report. Our VolunteerProgram continues to prosper through the dedication of volunteer citizens and city staff.

I look forward to presenting this information to City Council on December 9 (briefing encloThe exciting results are that 23,404 volunteers dedicated 1,181,403 hours in services valued$18 626 991 This value equates to saving approximately 3 9 cents on each $100 of the Rea


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Welcom fro Jim ParkeI have been very inspired by the commitment of our city leadersto the value and power of engagement in the community by ourvolunteers. But even more, I have been inspired by the tremen -dous dedica on by our Volunteer Resource Managers, whoprovide the day-to-day support for our volunteers. The spiritof coopera on is very infec ous in this city. The organiza onscommitment to collabora on and strategic planning is ener -gizing. The future does not just happen in good ways withoutdetermined planning and vision. The dedica on of our morethan 20,000 volunteers is key to our future. In the year to come,I hope to improve upon the ways we support our VolunteerResource Managers and gain a renewed sense of commitmentto volunteerism by all of our department directors.

Melissa ZibutisAs I begin my third year with the City of Virginthankful to the wonderful Volunteer Resource Munteers suppor ng our communitys vision. Thishas been one of tragedy and triumph. Re ec ng b

that the resilience of our o ce can be a ributed toatmosphere surrounding the City of Virginia Beprogram This family was established by one ve


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AgricultureAgriculture or AG as its fondly referred to by Volunteer Resource Manager Becky Salmons, serves a vitalrole in all of our lives. Agriculture provides many of the products we depend on in our daily lives such as; food,ber, wood and biofuels. Local agriculture is extremely diverse, from commercial grain and hog produc on to

pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and grapes. Furthermore, Virginia Beach can also boastof its robust equine industry. In 2013, the local economic impact of agribusiness in Virginia Beach reached anes mated $120 million, placing Agriculture third behind the Military (#1) and Tourism (#2) for total revenuegenerated in our local economy.

Becky recognizes that AG volunteers are vital to promo ng and sustaining this diverse industry. Theseindividuals not only support the e orts of the Agriculture Department, but serve as ambassadors to thecommunity. They provide residents and visitors with important informa on on a wide array of important topics, such as environmental stewardship, while highligh ng our Citys rich cultural diversity and the important contribu ons of Agriculture to the local econom

With more than 375 youth and adult volunteers par cipa ng, 4-H is a valued organiza on in our community. It provides opportuni esyoung people to learn leadership, ci zenship and life skills through volunteerism. The 4 Hs stand for: Head, Heart, Hands and Hearepresent the four points of the 4-H pledge: clearer thinking, greater loyalty, larger service and be er living.

Another dedicated group of AG volunteers are the Master Gardeners. Nearly 300 Master Gardener volunteers implement approximdi erent outreach and educa on projects throughout the City of Virginia Beach. They also maintain a telephone service Grow-Linegardening ques ons from the public. Over the last 20 years Master Gardener volunteers have elded more than 80,000 phone calls.

Becky works closely with the leadership of these groups to coordinate volunteer e orts within the Agriculture Department. As a resu

has had a direct impact on the great success of these wonderful volunteer programs. Her dedica on and leadership have helped promand sustain the vibrant agriculture industry that thrives here in Virginia Beach!


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City AttorneyLegal interns in the City A orneys O ce are o en recruited from William and Mary, the University of Richmond,Regent University and Washington and Lee. These individuals are placed with the real estate sec on or li ga on

division within the city. The City A orneys O ce o ers a great opportu -

nity for students to experience municipal government and exposes thestudents to a variety of areas related to legal eld. Students assist with re -search, wri ng and a variety of assignments as issues arise. These internswork alongside a orneys with decades of service and are seen by all staas part of the team. The sta do their best to include the learners in allaspects of day-to-day work, and many students leave knowing they maynot have received the same level of experience in the private sector.

City ClerkVolunteers from the O ce of the City Clerk greet guests of City Hall with a welcoming Smile and willing -ness to make a great First Impression. The City of Richmond recognized the impact First Impressionsdesk volunteers have on local government and the community. Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones was soimpressed by the volunteers, he asked that his sta visit the City of Virginia Beach to interview City ClerkRuth Hodges Fraser, the First Impressions volunteers, and folks in City Hall bene ng from the warmwelcome. The City of Richmond hopes to replicate the e orts of Virginia Beach First Impressions volun -teers to have similar impacts on the local government and community of Richmond.


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Commonwealth AttorneyLaw students are immersed in the culture of the Commonwealth A orneys O ce. Studentsspend me assis ng in prepping cases, conduc ng research and taking on real-world responsi -bili es related to the jus ce eld. The experience in the City of Virginia Beach Commonwealth

A orneys O ce is unlike any other. During their internship, students spend numerous hours inthe courtroom, assis ng prosecutors with anything from bond hearings to jury trials.

The impact each of these interns has on the safety of the community can be measured by thenumber of dangerous criminals they help prosecute and put behind bars. In addi on to ful ll -ing their academic requirements, Commonwealth A orneys O ce interns become workforceready, logging hundreds of hours of hands on experience in and outside of the courtroom.

Communications and Information TechnologyVirginia Beach Television (VBTV) is currently managed by the Department of Cand Informa on Technology (ComIT). Mul media Services (MS), a division of Cboth the communica on of city government and city public schools. Many are awVBTV operates three government and educa on cable television channels, but wnot be aware of is the importance of volunteers, both behind the scenes and on caReaves of ComIT/Business Center and Bill Casey of MS/Video Produc ons creaduo of Volunteer Resource Managers for VBTV recrui ng, interviewing, and caadult and student volunteers on the set of, Access Virginia Beach, a weekly loexploring all that is happening in our great city. Addi onally, this group is tasked


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FireEach year, the O ce of Volunteer Resources honors youth who volunteer with the City of VirginiaBeach with the Debra L. Elam Outstanding Youth Award and the Debra L. Elam OutstandingYouth Group Award. The deserving young adults from Virginia Beach Fire Department Explorer

Post #343 were chosen by a commi ee of judges comprised of members from the VolunteerResource Managers Leadership Team.

Since his re rement, Master Fire Fighter Ray Smith has been dona nghis me and talents back to his brothers and sisters in the re serviceas a volunteer photo journalist. In addi on to the many VirginiaBeach Fire Department (VBFD) special events and social ac vi es Ray captures, you will also nd himnight, at the scene of a re or major incident documen ng the story behind the photo. In addi on to hispersonal photography gear, Ray captures these ee ng moments thanks to a VBFD issued pager, portaand a mul -channel scanner ensuring he can be reached at a moments no ce. Ray has gone above anto tell the story of the VBFD and the EMS opera ons in pictures and has been very instrumental in hetain and forge the working, living and con nually evolving history of the VBFD for many genera onRays passion to serve his community clearly shows in his dedica on and talent to capture forever, thfaces of the Virginia Beach Fire Department and the Virginia Beach Department of EMS.

History MuseumsVolunteers for the History Museums in the City of Virginia Beach provide a variety of educa onalopportuni es for residents and visitors that help them to not only learn but to experience the Citys


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Heres one way you can tell when youve bridged that gap:

What inspires me is listening to volunteers that say that they used to be a camper in our program and from the ones that come back aneventually become employed by us.

Another perennial issue for volunteer resource managers is mo va on. Ul mately, it needs to come from within.

I have learned that there is a di erence between volunteering for something and being voluntold what to do, Isaac says. You can rsee a sense of passion and pride in the individuals who take the me to complete tasks and really enjoy what they are doing. Whereas ycan see a sense of struggle for those whose hearts are not truly in the game of giving back. It makes me strive harder to reach out to thand help them understand that volunteering is more than just giving up your free me, but an act of sel essness helping those around yoWhen that light bulb clicks for that person and you see the turn around the results are truly rewarding.

I hope that in 20 years, volunteers will con nue to look forward and hope to build connec ons with the world around them. I hope it wbring a mindset that volunteering will be something that they look forward to and that it will be something embodied by the individuareach the calling to give back to the community.

Isaac enjoys working with volunteers who promote the Envision Virginia Beach 2040 Element of Ac ve Lifestyle.

My best advice for people who are volunteering is to really have fun with what youre doing! Learn the skills, make your connec ons andit may be hard work, what youll learn and who youll meet in your path towards success are truly limitless. Enjoy yourself, learn, and lau

PlanningThe Green Ribbon Commi ee, in partnership with the Planning Department, advises City Council


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Public HealthDesignated in September 2003, the Virginia Beach MedicalReserve Corps (VBMRC) provides health care professionals andothers with an organized mechanism through which they can

volunteer their me and skills in order to strengthen the Cityof Virginia Beach by preparing for and responding to large andsmall scale emergencies, such as epidemic in uenza, hurricanes,or acts of terrorism. In addi on, volunteers work to improvethe overall health and well-being of Virginia Beach by engag -ing in public health ini a ves throughout the year. Volunteerroles and training vary depending on the nature of the emer -gency and the ongoing need for community health outreachand educa on. VBMRC volunteers will be trained to work in

coordina on with exis ng local emergency response programs and may also be u lized to augmshortages at local medical and emergency facili es. Addi onally, VBMRC volunteers will be csta dispensing sites in the event of the need for mass vaccina on or mass prophylaxis.

Public Libraries

Kathleen Lapke, Medical Reserve CorpsHampton Roads VOLUNTEER

Achievement Award winner

The O ce ofVolunteer Resourceswould like to extend

a special thanksto Ellen Burns andMartha Hewi


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SheriffThe Virginia Beach Sheri s O ce Auxiliary Program consists of an all-volunteer group ofsworn depu es who have successfully completed mandatory background inves ga ons.Auxiliary Depu es are required to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours each month assis ng thefull- me sta at the Correc onal Center, and they perform volunteer services for numerouscivic organiza ons.

Strategic Growth AreasThe Strategic Growth Area O ces mission, in conjunc on with Resort Managemsure Virginia Beachs sustainable growth through the implementa on of strategicunique centers where people can work, live, and play. Innova ve land use planntransporta on, parking, marke ng, and nancial tools are u lized to achieve this mWhen looking to appoint a group of volunteers to help frame the City of Virginifor the year 2040, Mayor Will Sessoms knew that the Strategic Growth Areas Oserve as an appropriate and well-aligned home. In May of 2012, Envision Virgihad completed its comprehensive report, and a new group of 18 appointees wasbecome the commi ee working to ensure that its momentum carries over into taon. This group, the Vision to Ac on Community Coali on, will conduct public

monitor and report on the Citys progress toward achieving the Vision.


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ConnectedCommunity

LearningCommunity

UniqueEnvironment

ActiveLifestyle

ThrivingEconomy

DiverseCommunity


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Volunteer Count 23,404

Value of Volunteerism $18,626,991

Hours of Service 1,181,403

Full Time Equivalency 568

Avoided Real Estate Tax Rate 3.9


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Sheriff 7,370Parks and Recreation 6,810Cultural Affairs 1,979Virginia Aquarium 1,334

Emergency Medical Services 1,162Agriculture 1,156Libraries 972Police 732Public Health 628

Human Services 354


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Emergency Medical Services $9,026,629.96Sheriff $2,713,617.40Parks and Recreation $1,399,305.78Agriculture $794,649.72Virginia Aquarium $771,010.50Human Services $634,415.52Police $579,917.04Fire $538,628.19Libraries $507,709.87

Cultural Affairs $280,098.12


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1. Sheriff2. Housing and Neighborhood Preservation3. Planning and Community Development4. Public Health

5. Public Utilities6. Cultural Affairs7. Police8. Juvenile Court Service Unit9. Libraries10. Circuit Court


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1. Budget and Management Services2. Communications and Information Technology3. Planning and Community Development4. Libraries5. Economic Development6. Public Utilities7. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)8. Cultural Affairs9. Agriculture10. Police


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MemberFTE

VolunteerFTE

% of Total FTEs thatare Volunteers

EMS 73 223 75%Cultural Affairs 3 8 72%Agriculture 12 20 62%City Clerk 6 2 26%Public Health 9 3 24%Sheriff 525 134 20%Virginia Aquarium 148 37 20%Libraries 255 17 6%Parks & Rec 838 51 6%

History Museums 13 0.4 3%


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Date Neighborhoods

Nov 2012 25

Nov 2013 199

Nov 2014 278

Neighbors are Organized Aware of City Volunteer Programs Sociable

Apt to Report Crime Engaged in Community Volunteer Efforts Likely to Assist in the Event of an

Emergency Helping Neighbors in Need!


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virginia beach 2014 volunteer report

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