Cville TimeBank

Category: Member stories

  • Learning new skills is how we roll!

    Learning new skills is how we roll!

    Thanks to the timebank, I’m a sushi convert.

    A few years ago, I posted a request for a timebank member to go with me as a guide to a sushi restaurant. I was sushi-curious, and more than a little intimidated by the menu and protocol. My request was answered quickly by member Sarah, and we met at a sweet little restaurant for my first experience. While getting to know Sarah over tea, she expertly guided me through the menu. Her knowledge and guidance was even more appreciated once I realized the significant language barrier with the waitstaff. Lunch with Sarah was delightful and informative – and delicious! I was hooked.

    Fast forward a few years – and many restaurant sushi meals – later. I wanted to learn how to make sushi at home, so I posted a request for someone experienced to teach me. It turns out that I wasn’t the only member who wanted to learn. Three members responded to say they’d be interested in a class if someone was willing to lead it. When Susie responded as a willing and knowledgeable teacher, we quickly arranged a class at her home with the other members.

    Susie deftly led a fun hands-on class that covered everything I wanted to know about ingredients, equipment, and process. It turns out: it’s not that hard! But having an experienced teacher at your side, answering questions and guiding you through the process, is something you won’t find in a cookbook or on YouTube. Besides learning a new skill, I became better acquainted with three other timebank members, and went home with my own little bento box to share with my husband. Empowered with  information and confidence, I purchased mats, sushi rice and nori sheets, and rolled my own for the first time. Success! Thanks to Sarah and Susie, sushi is demystified – and regularly happens at our house. 🙂

    -Kathy

    Sushi-making class
    Tah-dah - Sushi!
    My take-home box from class
    My first solo sushi attempt
    A month later, my first solo attempt at home. Success!
  • A Tale of Two Quilts: One Old, One New

    A Tale of Two Quilts: One Old, One New

    Last spring, I had a great transaction with fellow Timebanker Susie. I had a request posted for months for quilt repair and had even communicated with a couple of interested people who ended up passing due to other time commitments. Shortly after Susie joined the Timebank, she saw my request for quilt repair and assistance in compiling a t-shirt quilt and emailed me. Over a couple of months, Susie first repaired my favorite quilt (passed down from my grandmother) that was unraveling on the edges. Now I can use the quilt again without being afraid it will rip more. Secondly, she took the squares of high school and college t-shirts I had cut up years ago with intentions on making a quilt and actually made the quilt! It looks great, and I’m covered with it on the couch as I write. Susie is so friendly and was very knowledgeable about fixing and creating these quilts. Susie, thanks so much for sharing your skills and time with me!
    – Andrea

  • Sometimes, you gotta ASK!!

    How to ask for help in the timebankFor many of us, asking for help is hard. I see this difficulty manifest often when timebank members tell me they can’t find the help they need in the timebank.

    Here’s a recent example:

    Me: What do you need?
    Member: I need four post holes dug.
    Me: Have you asked for help with that?
    Member: I looked at the current offers, and didn’t see it offered.

    I’m happy to report that this conversation has a happy ending: hole-digging is scheduled! It’s also a perfect opportunity to talk about how to make the ask. It’s impossible to know what kind of help people need, and it would never occur to me to post a separate offer for each and every little thing that I was willing to do for another timebank member. Who’s got time for that?

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at the weekly member email that lists recent requests and said “Wow, I never thought about offering that particular service, but I could totally do that!”

    If you dismiss the thought of getting the help you need through the timebank by a cursory glance at what’s currently being offered, you’re missing an opportunity. Here are some suggestions to try:

    • SEARCH!
      Use the search box at the top of every page in hOurworld. Try a few different words or versions of your search. Go ahead and noodle around in there. You won’t break anything! You may find a member bio or offer that turns up in your search, and we encourage you reach out directly to that member with your request by emailing them: use the email they have listed in their profile or use the envelope icon in their profile to send an email.
    • Post a request!
      It may be hard to ask for help, but members are standing by – and they’re reading their emails … not your mind! Plus, members who see your request can help you make a connection if they’re not able to fulfill the request themselves. Go ahead and put contact information right there in the request, which makes it easy for them to respond!
    • Post it in the Facebook member forum 
      It’s a great place to pose a question or make a request, and it allows a conversation thread to unfold, members to be tagged, and activates the hive mind. Remember that not all of our members are on Facebook, but many are.
    • Keep your member profile current
      Make sure your profile information is up-to-date, friendly, and inviting. After all, the first thing a potential responder will do is look you up on the member software. Increase your chances by having a photo and welcoming bio, and make it easy to contact you.
    • Don’t take it personally if a request is unfulfilled. Maybe it isn’t something that others are able to help with, or they’re not available, or maybe they didn’t read their email. OK, that’s a topic for another post. The point is: please don’t be disheartened. Keep at it, and perhaps the next time you’ll make a fabulous connection.

    So — what do YOU need that you haven’t requested? 😊

    -Kathy

  • Explore All Offers!

    Once again, I waited until the last minute to clean up my garden for spring. Who knew spring would arrive in February? I looked under new offers for help, but I didn’t find anything. I posted a request, then I remembered that wonderful “Explore All Offers” index. Check it out here: https://hourworld.org/bank/SearchSvcCat.php?PR=Pro

    I sent a couple of emails requesting garden help—and I have already received one yes—then noticed some other offers for things that I needed done. I sent out requests for bike repair training and slipcover tailoring—both now lined up to happen.

    If you haven’t used the index, now is a good time to explore the offers out there. You might find something that you had forgotten you needed.

    Some random offers I found in the index: tutoring in French, Spanish, help with exercise training, partner for cycling around town, help with doctor’s appointments and understanding medical jargon, cleaning out closets, general household chores, baking gluten-free breads and goodies, every sort of sewing imaginable, transportation, help with computers, eBay sales, kayaking instruction (boat can be provided!), help with digital photos, dog training, pet sitting, home maintenance, the list goes on and on. All those things you’ve been procrastinating on—get that stuff done!

    While you’re at it, look at your own profile and see if it needs updating. Have a new skill you might teach someone? Or maybe a skill you didn’t think about when you first posted your profile? I’ve heard there’s a big market for lasagna baking.

  • Holiday Help!

    Does anybody else get overwhelmed by the holidays?

    This is a great time for exchanges—the perfect time to help each other. Besides all the expectations of doing everything and being cheerful about it, we have the added stress of tiptoeing around current political issues while noshing with colleagues and family who we might not agree with on topics near and dear to us. On top of helping hands, we could all use a little community therapy right now.

    Need help shopping, wrapping, cooking, decorating, getting the house ready for visitors, cleaning up after visitors? Parties anyone? Not to mention figuring out what to cook, gift ideas, baking—because we all have to have some yummies for the holidays (or at least have to offer them to our guests or take them to our hosts). Packing for travel, unpacking after travel, encouragement to get off our butts and lose the extra pounds from all the holiday cheer. I’m sure there’s something else, there’s always something else.

    Maybe a pet-sitter while you are out of town? Or encouragement on how to get through the visit with Aunt Emma? Post your request to fellow Timebankers!

    Are willing to bake cookies, (maybe a boozy fruitcake?), tidy a spare room, pick up some groceries, take someone to the airport, offer gift ideas for the dad who has everything? Please post your offers!

    In the spirit of giving—and receiving—lets do this one together. We all need a little support right now.

  • Fall Garden Cleanup

    Fall was a little late this year, but it is definitely here now. My flowers are telling me it is time for some serious cleanup. Not sure why I put these gardening chores off the way I do. I used to love working in the garden by myself, but over the last few years I find myself procrastinating more and more.

    But I love flowers in the spring and summer—and even in the fall when I clear out enough of the dead summer flowers to see the last of the mums. It finally occurred to me that I’m part of a wonderful community of people who might be in the same boat. It’s a lot more fun when you have help, and the work goes so much faster.

    So—gardeners unite! Let’s get together and enjoy these beautiful fall days and get our gardens spiffed up and ready for those spring bulbs. And if you have any plants to share, this is a great time to transplant!

  • How My Garden Spent My Summer Vacation

    How My Garden Spent My Summer Vacation

    Loved, nurtured, and watered by awesome TimeBankers!

    Being an obsessive compulsive gardener is fun in the spring when it’s cool and rainy and everything starts poking out of the ground all fresh and shiny green. I’m not a fan of digging in the dirt as much as I am of sitting among flowers with a glass of wine, but I’m willing to do a little dirty work for the reward.

    The problem comes in July and August when it’s hot and dry. I hate being outside then—even surrounded by flowers. My solution is to go north. For years, I have come home to a garden so withered and rangy that I have to check the name on the mailbox to be sure I’m at the right place!

    But this year was different. Though it was wicked hot and dry all summer, my garden was lush and green and full of blossoms. Even my potted basil was thriving! It looked way better than it would have if I had been home—I would been hiding in the AC all summer.

    A big thank you to the ever-fabulous TimeBankers who took turns watering my parched plants and sprinkling magic dust to keep everything so luscious. You folks are simply amazing!

  • Twice Is Nice joins Cville TimeBank!

    When is something better than great? When you get twice the benefits!

    So you may or may not know that Twice is Nice Upscale Resale Boutique (TIN) receives (FABULOUS) donations of clothing, shoes, jewelry, and household items from generous community members. TIN takes the very best items and displays them in their beautiful little storefront on Preston Avenue in Charlottesville. Believe me when I tell you that you can go by there every 4-7 days and find almost a whole new store-full of beautiful goods. (Wonder who might shop for clothing exclusively at TIN?….. That would be me…)

    BUT that’s not the best part. Not only do fabulous clothing and household items find another good home (REUSE/RECYCLE!) but the proceeds from those purchases go to provide affordable housing with essential care and services to those residing at JABA’s Mountainside Senior Living in Crozet. Seriously. How great is that??!

    BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! TIN volunteers who are also TimeBank members get TWICE the benefits. TIN members get TIN dollars (one per volunteer hour) to spend on store items. TimeBank members get TimeBank Hours for every hour they volunteer at TIN. So if you are a TIN volunteer who is also a TimeBank member, YOU SCORE BIG TIME!

    Is that great or what??!

     

     

     

     

  • Moving Made Easier – through TimeBanking

    I am currently writing from among a couple dozen unpacked cardboard boxes, a junky pile of miscellaneous items that currently make up my dining room, furniture that looks like it was arranged by a drunken crew of pirates, and – oh look! – a basket of clean, unfolded laundry. (Don’t ask me what’s in there.  I just keep wearing the same clothes to work as well as some outfits that are better suited to other occasions, but which I can at least locate.)  

    The aftermath of moving. It may sound bad, but I’m actually happy about my new home and how my move went. And TimeBank really helped.   

    For me, the most stressful part of moving is packing, hands down.  I connected with a TimeBanker (Ruth) who came over on 3 occasions and helped me stay on track with packing.  She was a godsend since I’ve been known to stand for long periods of time with a single item in my hand, trying to decide which box to put it into, all the while my blood pressure rising.  With Ruth there, I was able to keep moving forward. A dear friend, Theresa, who is also in TimeBank, came over the night before the move as well. Between the 3 of us we finished the packing and kept me calm.  

    On moving day I had an amazing and unusual crew made up of a paid mover, a teenager, my daughter’s dad, my daughter (9), some friends who dropped by briefly, and a TimeBanker (Todd) who was willing to dive into my life and stuff for a full 6 hours on a super hot day.  Todd was amazing. We finished unloading hours before I expected even after the required pizza break.

    I had also invited folks over for what I was calling #Cathy’sFlashMove and had hoped to meet a bunch of folks, especially neighbors. This did not work out as planned but I did meet one close neighbor (a TimeBanker) who arrived in time to help with a cleaning task that has made my first days here much nicer.  

    So… help before, during and after my move, saving money, stress, and time.  Wow.  But just as valuable are the new connections I’ve made.  I really like all of the folks who helped with my move and have already been in touch with or spent time with 2 of them. I hope to see the others soon.  That’s not something I generally expect to get out of a move!  With TimeBank you never know if what you need will line up with what someone has to offer, but it worked out for me this time and I am incredibly grateful.  So despite the chaos in my house, I am very happily living in my new home with some new friends to boot!                         

    – Cathy B.

  • If you can dream it —

    What would you like to have done?

    Check out the TimeBank FAQ, “What Services Are Exchanged?” to get an idea of what offers and requests you might typically find in our member software.  The list is a snapshot of the skills within the membership, including things like home repairs, anything having to do with your garden, pet care, child care, even chicken consultation (yes really!). But don’t be discouraged if what you need done is not listed. As long as it’s legal and won’t get anybody in trouble, ask for it.  There may be someone out there who can do it. A pretty nice camel saddle was fixed up at one of our fabulous repair cafes. You won’t find that kind of match-making in the Yellow Pages!

    I wish the TimeBank had been around when I lived in the country and had a daily supply of fresh llama manure. I bet I could have found plenty of takers for that perfect garden fertilizer. As a matter of fact, I wish I had some of that llama poo for my city garden now —I’d be happy to drive out in the country to shovel it.

    Need something unusual or have some rare but useful skill or resource to offer? This could be the place to get your needs met. And while you’re thinking about it, take a look at the latest requests. Share an hour or two of your time and—I promise—you will be rewarded with far more than TimeBank hours. You will make someone’s day—and you might find that you made your own day too.

    – Gail South