Volunteering at Vinnies.

After my great upset of not being respected as a Vinnie Vollie I think it has been resolved.   I spoke to the manager by phone on Sunday and saw her when I went in on my regular Monday afternoon shift.  The old manager was there talking with the new manager and the Monday morning vollie was there.   The manager spoke to me, said she was sorry she hadn't let any of us know but the sign was put up on Wednesday and taken down the next day so no problem.  Wrong!  Big problem as us 3 vollies were not happy about it being put up before speaking with us and didn't like the way it was worded at all.

Up to yesterday, on a regular Monday there would be the manager, morning vollie, me in the afternoon and another woman that came in when she could, most weeks.  That one hadn't been in for a few weeks due to an injured back but was due back this week.    For the manager to put up a **Closed on Mondays due to lack of volunteers**  was wrong. 

The manager left just after I arrived yesterday, shortly after that the bad back vollie showed up and not long after that the morning vollie left.  So there were 2 of us there for the afternoon.  Neither of us knew the opening and closing routines though so the Thursday lady came in at 3 to show us how to do the till and the closing procedure.  She is going to write up charts with anything anyone needs to know about the days workings.   This is something that I have suggested to the manager a couple of times since I started, it's just sense that someone else knows how to open and shut the place up.  It shouldn't be up to another volunteer to do it but at least it will now be done.

I am there again Friday morning, with the manager so hoping that it wont be too awkward but don't care if it is.  It shouldn't be.   I know for a fact that the Friday afternoon vollie quite often doesn't show up, she is an 80 year old so understandable, I have stayed all day on a couple of occasions because of this but know that the manager is sometimes there by herself.   I am told by her that the Wednesday vollies are not very reliable either.   They need more vollies and do have a sign up in the shop to this effect.  But Monday was covered! 

I like being there and will continue to go down there.  The work is interesting, I feel that I am doing my bit for the community and it gives me some decent adult conversation.

The work involves sorting, steaming clothing, pricing donations, serving customers, dusting and cleaning when it needs it.  None of it is hard, most of it is fun.  When I finish my childcare work in a few weeks time I may offer my services for Friday afternoons as well.   I will see how I feel when the time comes.  Maybe I will just stay when the other Friday vollie doesn't show up if I have nothing better to do...