Animal Volunteers Visit Cancer Patients
from Sign On San Diego
Gita and Gianna have the best job that any dogs could ask for. The sisters, black Labrador retrievers, provide love to cancer patients at Sharp Grossmont Hospital. Patients and employees at the La Mesa hospital hug and pet them, and the dogs give wet, sloppy kisses. Like other hospital volunteers, both dogs have their own Sharp Grossmont Hospital badge pinned to their jackets identifying them as pet-therapy dogs. More

Boomers Driving Makeover Of American Volunteerism
from Volunteermatch via KTRV-TV
Baby boomers have been rewriting American culture for decades. Now, as the first wave of retiring boomers leaves the work force and the next wave is reaching the 55-plus mark, they are redefining yet another great American institution - volunteerism. Now that baby boomers have more time of their own, they are increasingly looking for innovative ways to serve nonprofits in causes they care about, volunteering experts say. And many are choosing opportunities that are deeply rooted in the skills and experiences they acquired in the working world. More

Your Circle of Resources: Untapped Sources Of Volunteers
from Energize Inc.
Picture your facility as the center of a bull's eye, with concentric circles around it. Now do the following. If you are in an urban area, walk out your front door with a clipboard and pen (take along a volunteer for company). If you are more rural, do this by driving. The point is to walk completely around the block (or drive in a tight circle) and write down everything you see: stores, businesses, parking lots, churches, apartment houses, schools, etc. You may be skeptical about this recommendation, but I assure you that you will find a number of "neighbors" that you did not know you had. And this means potential resources. More

Product Showcase: Kilbourne & Kilbourne Embroidered Emblems: No set up charges. All Stock Volunteer & Auxiliary round emblems are 3" in diameter. Custom Emblems can be made in any shape, although the 3" round is the most popular. Send us your artwork and ideas and we will provide a mock-up for your approval. Order today!

Your Older Volunteer: Trends, Benefits, And Implications
from Service Leader
The United States is undergoing a sweeping change in population demographics. The burgeoning aging population will impact the scope of older adults in the volunteer arena. These changes in demographics, as well as the mindset of the impending baby boomers, will influence how managers of volunteers will interact with and manage older volunteers in the workplace. This paper will encompass issues related to volunteer activity among the elderly population. First and foremost, the paper will attend to the current trends in volunteering and the growing aging population. Reasons for utilizing older volunteers, volunteer groups for the elderly, benefits to the volunteers, and management issues specific to working with the elderly population will be presented. More

I’ll Take That, Too: Increasing Impulse Buys
from Gift Shop Magazine
Step into In-Courage in San Antonio, and you'll see three items near the point of sale: a basket of chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, a drawer display of Lady Primrose lip balm, and a seasonal item such as a talking gnome or a singing mariachi bear (which owner Patti Harbin has found is extremely popular during the city's Fiesta celebration). What do these three things have in common? They're all strategically placed to generate impulse buys. Let this article tell you what works to get those last-minute sales. More

The Customer’s Perspective: How Do You Look?
from Sideroad.com
This article offers a simple, ten-step checklist to help you see your store as a customer does. Though hospital gift shops have a built-in clientele – and often lack for space – this approach is still useful to help you maximize your impact. A fifteen minute investment can provide a concrete understanding of how your customers perceive and move through your space. More

Overall Market Data: Inflation Cools, But Retail Sales Slip
from Business Week
A batch of U.S. economic reports released on Sept. 12 carried some mixed messages for the U.S. economy: Measures of wholesale inflation dipped in August, and a closely followed reading of consumer sentiment surged in September. But another report painted a different picture of the consumer: Retail sales dropped by a worse-than-expected amount in August. A separate release showed a surge in business inventories in July. More