California has a New Czar!

I'm so proud of Arnie. Our Governator recently created a new cabinet position in California - a secretary of service and volunteering that some are calling the "Czar of Volunteerism." Unlike other new cabinet positions, this one is not predicted to cost taxpayers more money. That is, if eager citizen volunteers can stretch budgets enough to offset the cost of the cabinet position.

Prompted by the huge volunteer turnout for the San Diego fires and for wildlife cleanup after the Cosco oil spill in the San Francisco Bay, it became clear that Californians are willing to help in crises. The problem was that it was too hard to coordinate such a huge surge in volunteers.

The new Czar -- the first such position in the country -- was plucked from her executive director position at California Volunteers. Especially great for busy moms and dads, the organization runs a database of ongoing volunteer needs. It lists things we can do today or tomorrow if we have a bit of extra time. I just did a search on "Animals and Environment" in my zip code and learned that -- crisis or no crisis -- there is something to fit everyone, no matter how much time you have -- or don't have.  I saw one-off opportunities like the Acterra-sponsored Arastradero Preserve Restoration Workday. To my surprise, there were on-going ways to get involved, as well, such as

taking a board position at the Alternative Fuel Coalition. Pretty neat!

I kept poking around the site and was even more delighted to see a Families and Kids section. This is exactly what I was looking for! Here's what California Volunteers says you can do with your kids:

Would you like to involve your child in community service as part of an organized group? Perhaps you'd like to volunteer together as a family. If so, the following resources can help.

Youth service clubs are groups of youth who come together to volunteer and help others in their community. Clubs can be affiliated with a particular family, neighborhood, community, school or church. To learn about starting a club or find existing clubs, visit Kids Care Clubs or Kids Korps USA.

If you'd like to learn more about family volunteering or explore examples of service projects, please visit Family Cares, a program of the Points of Light Foundation.

Each year, Disney and the Points of Light Foundation sponsor Family Volunteer Day, the Friday before Thanksgiving. Family Volunteer Day is a great way to introduce your family to the joys of volunteering.

And, on a personal level, I was particularly delighted with the new volunteerism position. One of my weakest topics is politics and government. However, in a rare moment of political clarity, I got a bee in my bonnet about telling Lt. Governor Garamendi that we needed volunteer coordinators in each city. So, I went to Palo Alto City Hall last year when he spoke with citizens about climate change. I think I was the only mom there among many grandparents. I got a little speech ready and stood up at the podium to tell him that I'd been doing ad hoc volunteering for Palo Alto Green. I said I didn't think most citizens would know where to go if they wanted to help promote one of the city's many environmental programs. I asked him to imagine how much this could stretch a tight government budget. To imagine if parents and kids could help the city together, as I'd been doing with my kids by handing out Palo Alto Green brochures at the Twilight Concert Series and after showings of An Inconvenient Truth. I suggested a volunteer coordinator position.

I didn't think he was paying attention, and he probably wasn't, but my wish came true on a state-wide basis! It was all of you amazing volunteers who stepped up to clean animals caught in the oil spill and help people affected by the San Diego fires. That caught Arnie's attention. You made a difference during those crises and for the future of volunteers in this state. Talk about stretching resources!

So, here's a big welcome to Secretary Karen Baker. I and many other Californians have been waiting for you. Let's see what else you can do with your new position and if, indeed, you won't cost us anything.

Alix also blogs at www.mednauseum.blogspot.com, a blog devoted to research supporting dietary and environmental causes of chronic illness.

Original Silicon Valley Moms Blog post.