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Volunteering and Building Resilient Communities – One Perspective

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People & Careers

Sustainability

April 30, 2025

In recognition of National Volunteer Month, a personal narrative from Mike Swenson, FlatironDragados Vice President of Marketing & Communications.

 

Your experience, your skills, your common sense can add great value to an organization needing volunteers to enable them to achieve their mission. Are you volunteering today? Have you thought about volunteering?

Research among nonprofit organizations spotlights critical needs finding volunteers willing to take on important roles — roles that may be tied to ongoing initiatives or to special events. Some organizations need people like you to bring their expertise to boards of directors to help provide strategic direction.

Besides a feel-good sense, what’s in it for you? You will enhance your interpersonal skills. You will strengthen your career skills. And you will have fun.

Let me share my story.

I don’t know much about firefighting, but for more than six years, I served on the Board of Directors of Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District (ICFPD) covering about 52 square miles of the foothills in the Morrison/Conifer area southwest of Denver, Colorado — part of a region considered to be one of the nation’s highest risk areas for wildfires. I had the privilege to serve as board president for four years.

My role and that of fellow board members was to provide oversight and insight, to help establish strategic direction, and to rely on sound judgment to make essential decisions. Firefighting and emergency medical response expertise comes from full-time professionals and volunteer professionals.

 

And yes, I spent 15 minutes in a burn can with temperatures greater than 500 degrees. While certainly not a requirement of my volunteer role, the experience enabled my board colleagues and me to achieve better understanding of the roles of our first responders and the essential importance of preparation, training and precautions.

I take great pride in having played a role in the unification of ICFPD with two neighboring districts to create a stronger-together Conifer Fire Protection District. And in the process eliminating the ICFPD board and my role at the end of 2024. It was an honor to be part of that team.

And not yet ready to walk away from what I learned during years on the ICFPD board, I have accepted an appointment to the Jefferson County Wildfire Commission. Another no-pay commitment to periodic meetings primarily during evenings and weekends. And mentally energizing times with community-minded colleagues. 

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