Growing up with the name Cairn, pronounced karr-uhn, I was used to everyone being confused for some reason or another. Most people in the US have never seen the spelling and if they have it’s because of a dog. You know Toto from The Wizard of Oz? On the very rare occasion someone recognizes it correctly then they get caught on the odd pronunciation as it should sound like ˈkern.

You are probably thinking at this point that you didn’t sign up for a rant about someone’s name. What does this name really mean? And how in the world does it relate to volunteer engagement? And, I hope I haven’t wasted five minutes of my day.

Well here you go:

I hope my thoughts can serve as directional markers leading you on your volunteer engagement journey. There are plenty of smart people out there and I will share their information as well but I hope you find me to be a source of hope, safety, and friendship. We all know this job isn’t easy and we are not in it for the money.

I am here for you, don’t be a stranger, and I thank you for sticking through my first article! <3 Cairn