November 22, 2023

The Trail to Volunteerism

We all go through a similar long process to become architects. After years of schooling and working in an architectural studio, we take our ARE exams and eventually obtain our professional license to practice. We long to create things that benefit our clients. In truth, the educational process continues well beyond licensure. Volunteering time to support the community is one of the best ways to grow, learn, and demonstrate how architects bring value through architecture and design thinking.

With the responsibilities and duties associated with running an architectural firm, I knew it was important to take time away from the workload to reduce stress and manage my well-being. As a 30-year-old young professional, I was able to get away a few times a year for a change of scenery. One such time was a New Year’s ski weekend in 1993/1994.

Skiing is an amazing sport that my wife and I enjoy. The beautiful scenery, the fresh air, the robust exercise, and the great evening dinners make ski trips especially enjoyable. This particular ski trip would include a surprise. After an amazing day of skiing in the beautiful, cold sunshine of Vermont, we headed back to our accommodations, a short ride away from the mountain. Upon arriving, I had to check voicemail messages just in case something significant occurred on any of my ongoing projects. I always advised my clients that I would be away and only available for emergencies. 

This was a time before cell phones. When you told your clients they wouldn’t be able to reach you, it was true. The only connection to my studio and my professional life was the landline telephone where we were staying. As I dialed the phone with muscles aching from the day of skiing, I didn’t really expect there to be any messages. There were no messages in the prior days leading up to New Year’s holiday however this time there was a message.

The Mayor of my New Jersey town had called and left a voicemail that he would like to speak with me and that it was a matter of some urgency. I hung up and said to my wife “The Mayor wants to talk to me.” She said “The Mayor back home? Why would he need to talk to you so close to New Years?” “I have no idea,” I replied. “But I need to call him back right now.”

When I called the Mayor, he was very apologetic knowing that I was away. He said he had been provided with my resume and professional credentials and he was impressed. He then politely offered me an appointed position as a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. He stated that my professional background made me an exceptional candidate to be appointed to this position. I was completely shocked. I had never even spoken to the Mayor prior to this phone call. I only vaguely remembered my resume being requested by the landlord of the small apartment my wife and I were renting.

I then thanked the Mayor stating I would be happy to accept the appointment. He said “Great! I need you at Borough Hall on New Year’s Day at 6:00 pm!” I said, “Oh, no! I’m in Vermont until next week.” He said, “No problem, the Council will appoint you to the position and you will be officially sworn in at the first Zoning Board meeting of the year.”

That was the first day I volunteered to help make my community a better place for my neighbors. It was December 31, 1993. I continue to serve on the zoning board. December 31, 2023, will mark 30 years of volunteer service.

Volunteering time for the benefit of your neighbors is one of the most powerful ways to demonstrate how architects can help build better communities.

Architect William J. Martin AIA, P.P., LEED AP-H
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Econo-Functional Aesthetic Balance

By Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, AIA NJ Advocacy Consultant | Posted in Architects League of Northern New Jersey, Editorial | Tagged: #EFABism, #foundations, #NewJersey, #WilliamMartinAIA, #WJM, #zoningboard | Comments (0)