By Pam Caraway, ACN President
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
– Winston Churchill
When we speak about the benefits of membership in the Agricultural Communicators Network, we emphasize professional benefits, such as building strong networks, growing through professional development opportunities.
Turns out volunteering is also good for your company and your health.
VolunteerHub, a BetterGood Product, lists 40 statistics about volunteering. And when you follow the links in the statistics they cite, it turns out they’re not just made up. Who knew something on the web could be grounded in data?
Many of the 40 items apply to our organization. Here’s three that really stood out for me:
- Volunteerism improves health by strengthening the body, improving mood, and lessening stress in participants.
- Those who volunteer regularly have a 27% better chance of gaining employment.
- 60% of hiring managers see the act of volunteerism as a valuable asset when making recruitment decisions according to a study performed by Career Builder.
What this says to me is that being involved in the premier professional development organization for communicators in the ag industry is good for your mental health, your physical health and your career. And your employer probably already knows that.
What this list also points out is we are better for the volunteers who serve. Though I can’t begin to list them all today – and by this age have learned it’s better not to try: Thank you.
- To each of you who stepped up on a project, recruited another member or simply showed up for a workshop or Ag Media Summit: Thank you.
- To anybody and everybody who spoke highly of ACN to somebody who wasn’t a member: Thank you.
- To all who chose to join, regardless of whether you have time these days to do much more than that: Thank you.
- And to those who are making the extra effort to serve on our board or on a committee: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Even though some days you might wonder whether it’s good for your health.
This organization is made possible by the folks who sat in a Chicago bar 105 years ago and decided that ag journalists needed such an organization. And we continue to live that promise with each and every volunteer who steps up.
We evolved as the industry changed to embrace diversity – communicators from every corner of agriculture – rather than limiting ourselves to being an organization for only journalists. And yet we hold to the foundational integrity of those early founders in keeping the ethics and tenants of journalism at the core of what we do.
Waxing poetic comes easily as I write this final column as president of our organization – mostly because at my core I’m still as idealistic as the 14-year-old me who lived in Alaska and wanted to dedicate my life to Greenpeace. That zeal forged in realism turned into a commitment to simply make my corner of the world a bit better. And it’s strengthened by folks like Joel Reichenberger, Katie Knapp, Jessie Scott, Martha Mintz, Ryan Tipps, Chelsea Dinterman and Joy Crosby.
Though these are only five of the dozens who made the 2024-25 year of ACN a success, they are the folks who most recently bolstered my belief in our upward trajectory at a time when our industry is advancing despite headwinds.
- Joel agreed to be the incoming president. He will follow Joy Crosby, who takes the helm in August.
- Katie agreed to serve a second term at this time because turning over our management agency will be difficult and time consuming, and the task will be a little less daunting for a seasoned board member.
- Jessie because she was willing to say that she might not have the time to give that such a change will require. And so, she won’t return to the board when her term expires later this month. But she is continuing to give of her time and expertise.
- Martha because she is rotating off the executive committee after her year as past president. She has earned her rest. She won’t be gone, and we won’t be forgotten, but she is taking time to take care of herself.
- Ryan and Chelsea because they know this next year or so will demand a lot of a new board member. And yet Ryan chortled – yes, laughed with quiet and deep jubilation – when he accepted the nominating committee’s request. Chelsea’s reaction? Much the same. Both are excited about this opportunity and that kind of energy is what spurs this operation.
- And Joy because she is taking the helm of ACN at a vital juncture in the life of this organization. She will lead us well.
At the risk of lapsing into a Kennedyism on top of a Churchill moment, I’ll close with one final thank you. Thank you for giving me the honor of leading ACN. We serve to support farmers and few callings are higher.
– Caraway is editor of Farm Futures.