Theo Ursum, General Manager of Volunteering Bay of Plenty, was recently gifted the exhilarating and slightly terrifying experience of jumping out of a plane to sky dive from 10,000 feet in the air. The Board of the volunteering organisation wanted to acknowledge Theo’s outstanding contribution to our community in his role as General Manager of VBoP, by giving him a gift to celebrate and acknowledge his many achievements during the three years that he has held the role.
BOP Volunteers numbers growing together with the organisation
Volunteering Bay of Plenty (VBoP) has transformed under Theo’s guidance. The service has expanded into the wider Bay of Plenty region. Achievements include, but are by no means limited to, doubling the number of volunteers signing on the VBoP database over the last two years and having other organisations contract VBoP to help them with all of their volunteer coordination needs.
No more lingering at ground level
Monique Edlinger, the Board Secretary spearheaded the idea of a sky dive. She said that the Board wanted him to have an experience that he would never forget and also offer him a challenge. She believed the gift would take Theo to grand new heights, positively impacting upon his role at VBoP, in many ways. Although a little nervous before his very first tandem sky dive, “I was so happy to take it all in,” Theo said, of the sweeping views he had from the air.
Theo’s team show up with their appreciation
A number of the dedicated team at Volunteering Bay of Plenty went to support and celebrate with Theo. The respect the team members, both paid and unpaid, and the Board members have for Theo is palpable. The Bay of Plenty is a better place because of the contributions made by Theo and his dedicated team at Volunteering Bay of Plenty. In the words of Board member Cushla Summers, “Volunteering BoP is a fantastic, responsive and incredibly valuable community-based service that just keeps flourishing!”
By Susan Rose Ludbrook
I write for Bay Waka because it is a great way to promote the benefits of volunteering
