We appreciate each and every member of St. Louis Public Radio who chooses to invest in their community by donating, whether it's as a one-time donor or a sustaining member. But we're equally appreciative of those who choose to give their time to STLPR.
Zack Stovall is STLPR's volunteer coordinator, who finds, schedules, and assigns volunteers to the various duties the station needs to be a more effective and efficient community resource. We were able to chat with Zack about his favorite programs and podcasts at St. Louis Public Radio, his role as volunteer coordinator, and opportunities available for those willing to donate their time.
STLPR: How long have you been working at St. Louis Public Radio?
ZS: It'll be three years in December. Before then, I worked for the St. Louis Beacon in a similar role, so I came over with the merger of the Beacon and STLPR in December of 2013.
STLPR: What's your favorite program?
ZS: Definitely "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!" I love comedy and getting to hear the hilarious contestants riff in a game show is great. I also enjoy driving to work with "Morning Edition" and catching STLPR's "Cut & Paste" podcast during the day while I'm working.
STLPR: What all does your role entail?
ZS: As our volunteer coordinator, I'm in charge of finding volunteers to fill all of the roles we need throughout a year and making sure they know where they need to be and when and what they're doing. Our volunteers are some of the most eager and excited STLPR listeners we have; most are members who are able to contribute financially, but all of them are willing to give their time, which is invaluable to us.
STLPR: What are some regular volunteer opportunities?
ZS: There are so many! STLPR often sponsors events throughout the community, such as art fairs and other cultural events, like the St. Louis Art Fair in Clayton and Tower Grove's Festival of Nations. At those events we're always looking for ambassadors of St. Louis Public Radio to work our booth and inform visitors about the station as a resource for their community.
After our fund drives, we'll gather a few volunteers to not only pack thank you gifts, but make hundreds of thank you calls as well. We also use several volunteers within our office for both administrative work as well as correspondence. For internal events, we often need volunteers to serve as ushers or concierges, to meet and greet our other guests. Every volunteer role requires a different skill set and is always fulfilling and hopefully fun as well.
STLPR: How else can members get involved with the station?
ZS: Another way members can donate their time is to have their gifts matched by their company. Many companies want to invest their charitable funds into causes that their employees are passionate about. A lot of people don't even know their company matches donations. It's really easy if you're willing to donate a couple of minutes to fill out a quick form.
For more information about volunteer opportunities with St. Louis Public Radio, visit our volunteer page or email volunteers@stlpublicradio.org, or call Zack at 314-516-7481.
