This is the first of nine member Q and A’s in a series entitled "
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community" that the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee will be producing leading up to our #CoSIDA16 convention in June
.
HAVE IDEAS OR MEMBERS TO NOMINATE FOR THIS SERIES?
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Chris Mitchell, Washington University in St. Louis Assistant AD for Communications, via cell (618-560-9280) or email (
mitchell@wustl.edu).
REMINDER: SEND IN YOUR VOLUNTEER 15 COMMUNITY SERVICE FORMS
All CoSIDA members are encourged to participate in our
Volunteer 15 program, where we recognize those members who have completed 15 or more hours of community service during the academic year. We will acknowledge Volunteer 15 participants in the spring with certificates, CoSIDA.com mention and acknowledgment at the 2016 CoSIDA June convention in Dallas.
Q and A With Bryan Marshall
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information – Millikin University
by Chris Mitchell
CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee Chair
Why is community service so important to you?
I learned the importance of giving back to the community from my parents and it has always been a part of my life. I grew up and live in a small town and I have seen first-hand the value volunteers play in getting positive things accomplished for the community.
Discuss a community service project that you were involved in that had an impact on your life.
I have been involved in a number of community service projects through our local youth sports organizations and our local school, but the one that impacts my life the most is my work for the Argenta-Oreana Volunteer Fire Department.
I have served the department for 16 years and I am currently a Captain\EMT-I and our department’s Emergency Medical Officer. I am honored to be able to serve the people of our two local villages. While many of the situations we are involved with find people facing difficult situations, I believe myself and my fellow firefighters have been able to make a positive impact on the lives we have touched.
What has made my service possible is the understanding and dedication of my family.
Serving the A-O Fire Department has been a way of life in the Marshall household. My wife Shannon was a Firefighter\EMT-P for 10 years, my daughter Taylor served the department as a cadet before going to college and my son Nathan currently serves as a cadet with our department.
How does an SID find time to volunteer for 180 hours during a school year?
Finding time to serve isn’t always easy especially during the fall. Fortunately our weekly trainings fall on Monday, which is typically a day without many sporting events. The majority of the time commitment involves responding to calls for service, which come at all hours of the day and night. When I am home and able to respond, I try to make as many calls as possible. Of course, this means many nights without much sleep. Running a single person sports information office means that I am not available for many calls, but I help when I can. Our department responds to about 350 calls per year and I normally make about half of those in a given year. In the 16 years I have served, I have responded to 2,401 calls and am listed seventh in the history of the fire department in calls answered.
What motivates you to participate in community service?
My motivation comes from the fact that I enjoy serving my community and helping people in need. I know that I would want someone to respond to a call for help from my family, so I what to be there for other families in their time of need. It is also been a great opportunity to teach my children about the importance of community service.
Why would you recommend other CoSIDA members to participate in the #Volunteer15 program?
Serving your community can be a very rewarding experience. As you know, there are times we need to step away from our work, community service is a positive diversion from the sports information world. For service organizations to be successful they need qualified volunteers and the skills it takes to be a good SID make us great volunteers.