Welcome to the very first #EarpYourCommunity Earper Spotlight from Earp It Forward. This series is a chance for us to highlight Earpers working to make positive change and bringing Earpers together by organizing different community service activities. To kick things we off we talked with Earpapalooza’s volunteer coordinator Meredith (@tacosaretasty1) who organized the very successful and very fun #EarpYourCommunity event in Minneapolis. Special thanks to both Meredith and Kristen (@Gravery) who wrote the lovely intro about Meredith for our spotlight. When I first heard that Mere was going to be the volunteer coordinator for Earpapalooza, I just knew she would do an exceptional job. Although I was a Comic Can't this time around, I could tell the Earp Your Community event was a wonderful success and made a big impact. What better way to kick off a con than by Earpers joining together to give back to the community? Mere has a kind, giving heart and is always willing to help others. She lights up a room with her presence, setting people at ease and making everyone laugh. She’s not only a great friend but a wonderful community leader. In her position as an Oncology Dietician, she spearheaded an effort to create a garden for cancer patients to tend to. A thoughtful, beautiful initiative for people who are coping with a difficult illness. Mere exemplifies Earpers in kindness and caring and is well-deserving of this spotlight. ~ Kristen (@Gravery)
Tell us a little about yourself.
Well, the most important thing is I’m an Earper right?! Besides that my name is Meredith and I live in Charlotte, NC with my two cats Ozzy and Finn. I work as an Oncology Dietitian at a Cancer Center in a nearby community.
Can you talk a little about the event you organized?
The Earp Your Community event I planned was immediately prior to Earpapalooza in Minneapolis, MN for an organization called Open Arms of Minnesota. Open Arms is a nonprofit that cooks and delivers free, nutritious meals to people living with life-threatening illnesses in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Open Arms asked us to decorate the bags they use to deliver meals to their clients. They told me that although it seemed like a small thing, it was something that meant a lot to their clients. What went into organizing your event?
As far as organizing the event the first thing I had to do was figure out how many people we were anticipating participating because I had to find a volunteer opportunity that would accommodate that number. Once I found Open Arms it was just a matter of coordinating with them and then getting supplies together for decorating the bags which we had to supply ourselves. It was a fairly simple process so I would encourage other people not to be intimated about organizing for a group.
What was the experience like?
Overall organizing the event was great and very fulfilling. Even though most of the Earpers involved were not even from Minnesota they were so eager to help and although that was not surprising, it was so nice to see.
What motivated you to plan an EarpYourCommunity Event?
I was the volunteer coordinator for Earpapalooza and when the Earp Your Community initiative started it seemed like a great opportunity to take advantage of having Earpers from all over the world together in one place. I knew a lot of Earpers would jump at a chance to help out and it was also a great way for Earpers from all over the country (and world) to meet before Earpapalooza and spend time with friends.
How did it go?
It went so well! We had over 30 people come to volunteer, including a few people that joined in last minute. It seemed like everyone was having a great time decorating the bags and talking with the people at their tables. We were able to decorate 150 bags for Open Arms. What was the most challenging part?
As far as organizing the event the most challenging part was finding an organization that could accommodate the amount of people we were anticipating. I knew if Earpers were involved that they would show up in good numbers. As soon as I put the announcement out on Twitter I had a great response. In fact, we had so many people sign up for the event we outgrew the space at Open Arms and had to have our event at the con hotel who was nice enough to donate a space to us.
What was the most memorable or surprising part of your experience planning this event?
The most memorable part of the project was definitely looking up at one point and seeing a room full of Earpers all working on this project together. It was a great feeling!
The only thing that surprised me a little was the amount of people that came. I was hoping for 15 when we started and we wound up with over double that!
Do you have any advice for others that want to plan an event of their own?
My advice would be to keep the numbers of volunteers you are anticipating in mind when you are deciding what to do.
Anything else you’d tell someone thinking about organizing an EarpYourCommunity event?
Do it! Just jump right in! It’s a really rewarding experience. It doesn’t matter if there are three of you or forty, you’re going to be doing some good and hanging out with Earpers so you can’t lose.
Would you organize or take part in an EarpYourCommunity event again?
Absolutely! I have organized an event for my local Earper group as well and we will definitely be doing more in the future. I’m also hoping we will be doing another one of these events prior to Earpapalooza in 2019.
What does EarpYourCommunity mean to you?
This may be cheesy but to me Earp Your Community is a way to spread the Earper spirit around the world. Earpers are kind, generous and are natural helpers so taking that spirit out into our individual communities makes perfect sense. That could mean volunteering by ourselves, with a friend, or with a large group. What matters most is spreading kindness.
Is there anything we missed that you’d like us to know?
Just a thank you for getting Earp Your Community started in the first place! So much good has already been done by Earpers!
#EarpYourCommunity is a core component of Earp It Forward and a call to action to give back to our communities and neighborhoods through service events. #EarpYourCommunity activities come in all shapes and sizes and can be done by groups of Earpers or as an individual. It is about celebrating what Earpers may already be doing and helping people connect to take action and make a difference in the lives and well being of those around us. To learn more about #EarpYourCommunity, check out the “Are You Ready to Earp Your Community?” introduction document which outlines the project and provides support and resources for all your passion to help and give back. You can also reach us directly using the contact information below:
Twitter: @earpitforward
Instagram (earpitforward)
Tumblr: earpitforward.tumblr.com
Email: [email protected]
Project organizers: Kristen (@kindnesskru) & Sarah (@HeresTheThing17)