WHAT ARE YOUR TALENTS?

WE CAN USE THEM!

The 9.12 Project:  WST-Richmond is an all-volunteer organization. While we try our best to implement all the wonderful ideas proposed by our members, our staff is currently quite small and we could use assistance in a variety of ways. Interested in helping out?

Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We are concentrating efforts in four general areas: Communications Marketing/Events, Membership/Education, and Political.

We need folks to GET INVOLVED in one or more of these core areas.

Communications

1. Meetup.com Subscription Sponsorship: In an effort to let more Virginians know about our cause and how to link up with like-minded people we have created a group on Meetup.com, a social networking site. The subscription for this tool is about $150/year. Sponsorships can be anonymous or, if desired, your sponsorship can be announced on the Meetup site. If you are interested in helping to sponsor this posting, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
2. Meetup Assistant Administrators and Moderators: Add events to the Meetup Calendar, welcome new members, monitor the forums and/or handle complaints
3. Facebook Assistant Admins: Add events to the Facebook Calendar, welcome new members, monitor the content being posted, email our newsletter and action alerts to FB members, add articles to our FB page .
4. Twitter Contributors: The contributor would be given access to our Twitter account (website) and entrusted with posting appropriate content. One (1) individual can have their phone # tied to the account at any given time. When we have events like protests, we might assign one person's phone # to the account so that they can make updates from the event.
5. Writers: To draft content for the website and newsletter. Add links to interesting articles. Write summaries of legislation and hot topics like global warming, health care, etc.
6. IT talent: to work on website design, posting, and coordinating our visual presentations and our overall style.
7. Bloggers: postings of longer documents on the web site or linked from your blog to our site. Let your voice be heard!

Membership/Education: Recruiting and Retention

1. Welcome Committee: Prepare a new Welcome page to the website. Contact individuals who have provided their emails and/or phone numbers to welcome them on board. Answer questions about our organization and mission. Invite them to activities and educational opportunities. Get them excited and engaged.
2. Membership Committee: We need Cheerleaders! Devise ways to keep interested folks involved and active. Help plan the content of regularly scheduled meetings to get folks off the couch and into the meeting room. Set goals for attendance and new signups.
3. Networking and Outreach: Pursue new members through networking and through outreach activities.
   1. Host small gatherings with neighbors and friends or organizational contacts to spread the word of our group.
   2. Engage Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in Citizenship badges.
   3. Head up a book club discussing political tomes.
   4. Assist the growth of new groups in outlying areas.
   5. Disseminate literature and business cards identifying our values and philosophy.
   6. Do some cold-calling. Visit businesses to seek their support and sponsorship.
4. Membership Directory: Following events, assist by updating our email and phone listings.
5. Phone Tree: Help us to make phone calls to members who do not have email to alert them to upcoming events.
6. Educational opportunities: identify speakers and/or outside courses that address our values and philosophy and enhance our understanding of the political process. Research and provide updates to the membership on hot topics such as Cap & Trade, Health Care Reform, Immigration, the Federal Deficit, States’ Rights. Prepare content for the web site and for meeting presentations.
7. Writers and Callers: Maintain our organization’s visibility through Letters to the Editor, call-ins to radio and television shows, postings on discussion boards like Craigslist, blog postings. Prepare rebuttals, demand corrections when we see lies and distortions being passed off as truth.

Marketing/Events

WSTR hosts both organizational and educational events. Our needs range from a facility that can accommodate 50 to one that can accommodate 1500!

1. Meeting Facilities: Do you know of a place that we might utilize for meetings and events (free or for a fee)? There is a lot of empty retail space in town –could we utilize that space? Does your place of business have a conference room we might use after-hours? Does your subdivision or apartment complex have a club house that we might rent? Please send us your ideas.  Contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
2. Facility Research: We are creating a "facility database" of information about facilities that we might want to use for future events. Can you make phone calls to potential locations to gather the desired information? We'll provide you with a list of questions. Contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
3. Event Planning: Identify possible educational events and help with scheduling, coordination, and marketing (coordinate a date with the speaker, identify and secure a facility, identify volunteers to staff the event, create a proposed budget, prepare advertising and identify appropriate media, etc.) Help us to create and  print materials for our events.
4. Event Staffing: For each event (including regular meetings and educational events) we need volunteers to assist with:
   1. Greeters: Welcome meeting attendees, answer questions about the organization and/or the event.
   2. Sales: Assist with merchandise sales.
   3. Registration: Staff the check-in table to manage the sign-in sheet and, at times, admission.
   4. Content: Members with specialized knowledge of an area of interest may be on the agenda at a regularly scheduled meeting or featured at an event.
5. Fund Raising: Help us to develop strategies to raise funding so that we can implement all the wonderful ideas proposed by our members!

Political

1. Meeting Attendance: Attend advisory meetings hosted by local government, VA Delegates and Senators, or our US Representatives and Senators. Represent the organization and provide a summary after the event to be posted on our website.
2. General Assembly Lobbying: Attend Lobby Day, identify legislation of importance and visit elected officials to present your views.
3. Election 2010: Work on committee to vet individuals who are running for office in the next election. Provide assistance in setting up meetings / event planning for meet-and-greets with the candidates from all parties.
4. Subject-Matter Experts: If you have in-depth knowledge in an area of concern, share it through writing, speaking, and advocating.
5. Legislative Watchdogs: Keep an eye on what's going on in Washington (or the General Assembly) and share the information with our members. Draft "action alerts" to let members know what is coming up for vote and how to contact their leaders.
6. Protest organizers: Work with other like-minded groups to bring together masses of voters to raise our collective voices for specific causes.
7. Political office: Consider becoming a local delegate, political party representative, school board member, or other elected official. Seek out and nominate candidates who share our philosophy.
8. Network: get involved in coalition-building with other groups you may also be a member of that have a complimentary philosophy.

Financial Assistance

We are a 100% volunteer organization. We have to raise funds to cover facility rental, speaker fees, printing, advertising, insurance, etc. All proceeds are used to support the organization in its effort to inform and activate members and the community. But, we need help! Donations can be made online or by mail at We Surround Them - Richmond, Inc., P.O. BOX 2332, Glen Allen, VA 23058.

 Interested in helping out? Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .