By Margaret
Meyncke
Why do I love tabling? When I started with
Sierra Club five years ago, I wasn’t sure how to help or what I could do to
benefit our group. Then I was asked to table at an event. “What’s that?” I
asked. They said, “The Sierra Club sets up a table with literature available
and answers questions. It’s a chance to meet and greet the public and tell
people about Sierra Club.” Wow! Great idea…except I didn’t know anything about
Sierra Club. That led to research and exploration! There I was, fulfilling the
first word of our motto… EXPLORE!
After
making the commitment, my husband, John, and I purchased a pop-up, table,
tablecloth, chairs, clamps, and banners. I began to practice my greeting skills
and hone my information message. Our group purchased stuffed animals from the Sierra
Club “Adopt an Animal” program. We have a system down that makes it smooth and
easy to set-up and tear-down in ten minutes. Now, if someone says “Table
Opportunity”, we get excited! Where to next? In the past, we have attended
Lightning in a Bottle, the Tree Huggers Ball, and the Idyllwild Earth Fair.
Most recently, we experienced the Temecula Recycled Art and Fashion Show and
the Santa Rosa Plateau Garden Tour. I always make an effort to contact every
other vendor, give them a Palm and Pines and share my passion for Sierra Club.
What’s
the bottom line? It’s FUN! That fulfills the second word of our motto … ENJOY!
Tabling
gives us the chance to get our name out in the public eye. Many people have
never heard of Sierra Club. Just displaying the banners gives added weight and
credibility to an event. Attending state meetings such as the California Trails
Conference or the Back Country Horsemen of America gives the Sierra Club a
presence in the community. We need to protect the legacy that we have received
by increasing our popularity. Thus we fulfill the third word of our motto …
PROTECT!
