‘Speed dating’ event nearing

The deadline to get registered for the volunteer program Friday

By Erienne Greene / Journal Staff Writer

MARTINSBURG - Friday is the deadline for folks to register for a unique form of "speed dating," sponsored by the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle and the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation.

The first Board Speed Dating event on Aug. 27 is designed to recruit board members for local nonprofit organizations through a speed dating type of format.

Trina Bartlett, director of community impact for the UWEP, explained how the concept for this new event came about.

"One of the things we often see in the community is the recycling of the same individuals for multiple boards, and what we would really like to do is to encourage people who have not yet served for a nonprofit group, but are interested, to attend this," Bartlett said. "Our goal is to try and just match up individuals interested in serving on nonprofit boards with the perfect organization for them."

In trying to meet that goal, the UWEP will bring together 20 nonprofits looking for board members, and 20 individuals who would like to serve on a nonprofit board, so they can meet face-to-face.

The nonprofit representatives will have the opportunity to speak with the potential members in five-minute sessions, allowing people to quickly and efficiently learn more about the organizations and to interact with the nonprofit group leaders.

"This event is ideal for younger people and those new to the community, who simply want to use their interest and passion to engage in nonprofit leadership but who may not share the same social circles with those who serve on different boards," she said. "They can discuss with nonprofits their different areas of expertise and interests, and then we match them up with the right nonprofit group(s)."

After speaking briefly with the nonprofit representatives, interested individuals will then complete and submit Interest Forms, along with their resume, to indicate which group or member best fits their needs.

The next day, everyone who participated at Board Speed Dating receives a list of matches, indicated by a mutual interest between candidates and nonprofits.

They will be given follow-up information for all of these matches.

The free event is scheduled from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Purple Iris, 1956 Winchester Ave., Martinsburg.

Anyone who wants to complete a registration form and submit it to UWEP by Friday can go to www.uwayep.org/documents/speeddating.pdf.

Additional information about Board Speed Dating is available at www.uwayep.org or (304) 263-0603.

- Staff writer Erienne Greene can be reached at (304) 263-8931, ext. 183, or egreene@journal-news.net.