By Felicia Goeken
Volunteer Identification Program Coordinator
Did you notice that the February 11 NRL News VIP column omitted
the number "100" from the telephone calls we were asking you to
do? Probably not! But the change is an important one designed to make your
life as a volunteer for the Volunteer Identification Program much
easier and more productive for unborn babies.
For many years we have accented having an individual volunteer make 100 telephone calls on his or her own. For many people this will remain their favorite way of contacting their neighbors to determine their opinions on abortion.
But experience plus technology plus conversations with grassroots people have convinced me, as VIP coordinator, that in most situations we can multiply our efficiency and effectiveness by working as a team. What do I mean?
Instead of one volunteer writing to say, "I
will make 100 calls," and being sent the names of 100 people from the
VIP office, we want that volunteer to find five or six other people
(the more the
merrier) who believe the right to life should be restored in order to form
their own local VIP team. Sound intriguing?
When the team members contact the VIP office they will be taking the first step towards stepping out in faith that their own state can build the most successful VIP effort in the country. The VIP office will put your team in touch with your own state coordinator or office.
Once this connection has been made between your local team, your NRLC state affiliate, and the VIP office, a determination can be made about how best to maximize your effectiveness and minimize the amount of time required to do this most important job.
You will be amazed to learn how much more is accomplished by a team working together. Your own team of five or six will find future members as you move forward with the Volunteer Identification Program.
Picture in your mind a map of your entire state. Put a dot where you are. In fact, put five or six dots where you are, in a small circle. Envision a line extending outwards from each of you for about 30 miles. Put more dots at the end of that line, in a circle as before. Depending on the size of your state, it will be easy to observe how far your team of five or six people can radiate.
Imagine how many lists of names and phone numbers the VIP office will be able to send you as your team grows. Even better, imagine how great you will feel when you discover how many people you will find who are as alarmed as you are about abortion on demand.
By identifying people your own NRLC affiliate and NRLC are not yet aware of, you are planting the seeds for an abundant crop of future volunteers.
When you put your team together, you may hit on
a technique with which we are not yet familiar. When you contact the VIP
office for your starter packet, will you please share with us how you have
put your team together, or plan to? A "real" team shares ideas
as well as the work!
NRLC Volunteer Identification Program (VIP) is a telephone survey conducted
in all 50 states with the cooperation of NRLC's state affiliates.
The survey is done either from home or from phone banks. VIP volunteers
are the primary strength of the project. Identified pro-life people are
then enlisted at the local and state levels to strengthen their organizational
efforts.