What was that you said about helping other volunteers do it themselves?
Right. We would hold workshops where the leaders of other chapters would attend. And I would explain how they could go about it. Nowadays there are more efficient ways of doing it. High-tech ways. But back them I would explain with flip charts.
And handouts.
It’s always good to leave them with something to remind them of what we discussed.
What did you discuss?
Well, for instance I would tell them about the five W’s.
Let’s see. That’s Who? And What?
Right. I’d tell them to be sure to write the press release about their event in terms of who, what, when, where, and why. Get all that basic information in the first sentence or two.
Why is that?
Because newspapers have only so much space for your precious news item, so you want to make sure the important info is up front. There’s always a chance the editor will cut your item, print what is saved, and scrap the rest.
Ouch.
It happens. To me. To anybody.
Remember Snoopy the dog? And the story he is writing?
About a stormy night.
Right. “It was a dark and stormy night.” It’s an example of a story that takes a while to get to the real action. In a press release you can’t wait that long.
I remember a workshop where I talked to volunteers who help recently widowed persons. I imagined a luncheon to thank such a volunteer. And I supposed two ways of writing something about it.
The first would attempt to draw the reader into the situation. “Mary Jones stood by her window and watched the snow fall gently on the small garden where, last spring, her late husband, Joe, happily picked his first tomato …” Like that.
But that’s too long?
Right. That might be fine for a long magazine article. By a professional writer to convince an editor to buy it.
But we would want to get right to the point. With the five W’s. “Mary Jones, a volunteer with AARP’s Widowed Persons Service, will be honored for her many years of service at a luncheon Thursday, at 1 p.m., at the Main Street Holiday Inn.”
Did I get it all in? The five W’s?
I think so.
So that’s an example of one workshop where I coached the volunteers how to do it.
I hope it helped them. I know I got a lot out of it.