All good things usually come to an end
What a bittersweet feeling. I’ve been volunteering with Engineers & Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC), formerly known as Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists British Columbia (APEGBC) since October 2015 and I decided earlier this year that this would be my last year with them. For the last three years, I organized the EIT/GIT Career Seminar: How to Obtain Your P.Eng or P.Geo Designation, also known as Path to Professional Licensure with the EGBC Vancouver Branch. The event I’ve been organizing for months was this evening and it was a success. With a maximum of 100 registrants, we had 96 people register for the event with a handful more registrants at the door.
Event planning is no easy task. Anyone who has planned a large event would hopefully say the same and agree it takes a lot of patience and communication. It’s an amazing feeling to see it all come together in one evening. I would love to continue to volunteer for the branch but I am ready to take a step back from my role as an event coordinator. Last year 2016-2017, I took on the role of secretary which included meeting minutes, communicated with all volunteers interested in the branch, and sent out meeting invitations and reminders. It doesn’t sound like much but I spent a good 15 hours minimum each month on those tasks. Although I enjoyed the role very much, it took physical commitment I was struggling to achieve with no childcare and a husband who works 80-100 hours a week. Now with two children, it makes it a little more challenging. I don’t want to say my children are the reason why I have decided to take a step back from volunteering. They definitely are not the reason and throughout my volunteer experience, I’ve either been pregnant or nursing. So it can be done! I want to shift focus in other areas of my life so here I am.
Thank you to all volunteers who have taken time out of their busy schedules and personal lives to volunteer at the EGBC Vancouver Branch. Those who volunteered at the events I’ve organized, been a speaker and/or helped me out at meetings or any other way— THANK YOU SO MUCH. Most of you reading this know who you are and made my volunteer experience a memorable one.