The United Way Volunteer & Community Resource Center (VCRC) honored the volunteers of the Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 18.

VCRC selects agencies to honor as its “Station of the Season” (“agency of the quarter” in nonprofit parlance) based on the activity level of the agency’s volunteers and as way to thank agencies for registering volunteers with VCRC and recording their volunteer hours.

VCRC, which is a program of United Way, is responsible for reporting about the impact volunteers have on Martin County. This is especially true of the volunteers who are part of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

“We are the only organization in Martin County that reports volunteer activity to Congress – information that plays into decision-making on elder services,” said Carol Hodnett, director of VCRC and RSVP.

At the Hobe Sound Chamber, nine volunteers are registered with VCRC, and they recorded 1,091 hours from January to August 2005. The estimated in-kind donation of those hours amounts to $19,147. This figure comes from the latest estimates by the Independent Sector, a national leadership forum for charitable and philanthropic programs, which puts the average dollar value of volunteer time at $17.55 per hour.

The Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization of business people working together to improve the economic and civic vitality of Hobe Sound. The chamber relies on volunteers to greet visitors, help in the office, and organize fund-raisers and events.

“Our next big fund-raiser that the volunteers are helping with is the Hobe Sound Hoedown, which is scheduled for Nov. 5,” said Jennifer Ferrari, executive director of the Hobe Sound Chamber. “Duties include collecting items for the silent auction and hanging posters around town. Volunteers will also help with decorating and with tasks during the event.

“They are also working like little elves on the Hobe Sound Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade,” Ms. Ferrari added.

For more information about the Hobe Sound Chamber of Commerce and its events, please call (772) 546-4724 or visit www.hobesound.org.

To volunteer with this or any other agency in Martin County, contact Shannon Midkiff, (772) 220-4472, ext. 228, smidkiff@martinvolunteers.org.

For information about VCRC, please visit www.martinvolunteers.org.