Giving Back
BY ROBYN LEE

Every year, just about this time, if we all listen hard enough, there’s a cry of pure exhaustion heard and another, hopefully, of elation as the IACP Annual Conference winds down. It’s heard all the way from the conference host city (Dallas, Texas, U.S., this year) to Louisville, Ky., U.S. (home of the IACP management office run by FSA Group) and beyond. These collective sighs are worth listening to, because they are the result of lots of hard work done on our behalf. The work is done by FSA, but also by a volunteer component that is absolutely critical to our success. The conference is our biggest volunteer effort of the year.

It starts with months of planning. In addition to everything that goes into membership activities at the Annual Conference (educational sessions, the Culinary Showcase, and awards presentation, to name a few), there are the activities specific to The Culinary Trust, the IACP’s philanthropic arm, that are woven into the conference schedule from beginning to end. The planning for future Culinary Trust fundraising activities begins even before the current year’s conference takes place. For instance, conversations are already ongoing about activities for Seattle, Wash., U.S., the conference site for 2006. Each year, IACP and the Trust endeavor to create conference events that focus on a particular host city’s flavor, and so we work closely with the IACP volunteers in the host city. This produces conferences that, over the years, weave a one-of-a-kind culinary tapestry.

The Same Vision
Successful events are the cumulative brainchildren of many people with the same goal and vision: to create activities that are rewarding for members and, in some instances when the Trust is involved, for the public as well. Planning involves much analysis, creativity, and chutzpah, as events are created, venues are selected, a budget is finalized, and sponsorships and in-kind donations are secured.

Then comes the hard part—organizing and expanding the volunteer effort. We may have the “greatest plan of all,” but if there are not adequate numbers of volunteers to implement it, it will fall flat. Frankly, without volunteer support, it would be financially impossible to put together the conference and Culinary Trust fundraisers.

Success depends on creating environments in which volunteers feel appreciated and find their time well spent, rewarding, and enjoyable. Every single one of us is a volunteer and we all reap the greatest benefits when we serve others while serving ourselves and our organization.

Four Short Days
When the conference finally arrives, many volunteers find it a mind numbing—albeit heady— experience. Long months of work culminate in four short days, and, once it’s over, there’s not much to show for it. There isn’t a book just published, a cooking school renovated, or a product finally brought to market. Seeing the activities from the other side gives you an entirely different perspective of the work that takes place on the inside and which seems so effortless from the outside. In fact, when you’re a volunteer at our conference, you don’t even really attend the conference because there is so much to do and this often precludes active involvement in the event.

So, you might ask, why volunteer? What’s in it for me? What is my reward or return on a considerable investment of time? Volunteering is a significant commitment. After all, most of us don’t have enough discretionary time as it is. Why let the IACP conference eat into it?

As chairman of the Phoenix, Ariz., U.S., Annual Conference in 1999, I am well aware of the payback. And it’s huge! Our culinary community had never pulled together as it did during the planning and execution of the conference. Many of us knew each other by name, but most of us had never had the opportunity to work together side-by-side. Others of us were well aware that we were working with competitors, but because our focus was on showcasing Arizona, it didn’t matter. Some worked on activities that related to their professions, while others took on tasks that were completely foreign. In some cases, careers were enhanced, or even launched. We learned to appreciate each other for our differences and took full advantage of them. Everyone brought unique talent and attitude to the table. In the end, we felt accomplished, united, and empowered. This was an experience that money could not buy, and while it may have cost us a great deal of time, emotional stress, and physical exhaustion, the personal rewards were great. The networking and relationship building was extraordinary and the benefits continue, even to this day.

An Exhilarating Experience
Whether you are lucky enough to serve on a host committee or if you serve on one of many Culinary Trust or IACP committees, it can be an exhilarating experience. You are giving back to a community that has supported you, and while the rewards can be very personal, the work you have done will change lives.

When we give to The Culinary Trust or IACP, the gift can take many different forms—time, ideas, skill sets, or money. Every bit of it is appreciated. The entire Dallas contingent, FSA staff, IACP and Culinary Trust boards, and volunteers are to be congratulated for giving so much to all of us. We appreciate all the effort put forth for our members’ benefit.

We thank all of you for every bit of fundraising done for The Culinary Trust. We will launch future careers, preserve our culinary heritage, and enhance the quality of many lives as a result of every member’s efforts. Our current and future successes will always rely on our members.

The benefits do go on and on. The legacy we are creating should make us all proud to be part of this important effort.

ROBYN LEE has coordinated events promoting the culinary industry for more than 20 years as the owner of her own special events firm. In the last 10 years, Lee has been responsible for staging the grand openings of four major facilities in Arizona, the Bank One Ballpark, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Arizona Science Center, and the Sandra Day O’Connor U.S. Courthouse. She is the chair of The Culinary Trust.

This article originally appeared in the IACP Food Forum Quarterly (Second Quarter 2005).