Months ago, in an effort to explain the Yellow Envelope Project to newcomers, I described our role as that of a volleyball setter.  Hitters get the glory.  They make the spike that earns the point that prompts all the cheering.  The setter, on the other hand, quietly and unassumingly does her work.  She is focused.  She is intent on taking the receivers pass and turning it into something great.  She is the player that makes the show-stopping spike possible.

I like to think that's what we do at the Yellow Envelope Project.  No bells, no whistles, no accolades.  We are just focused and intent on making the world a better, brighter place by making other players spikes possible.

What an also fitting analogy for the recipient of today's Yellow Envelope Project.  She is a setter.  She is an administrative assistant whose job it is to receive, and sometimes, juggle the balls of seven departments.  Take a look at what her nominator had to say:

"Claire is the glue that holds our office together. She is responsible for keeping the seven departments in our area running smoothly -- budgets, office management, payroll, scheduling ... she does it all!  Claire stepped in to co-chair a major campus-wide event last year and did a fantastic job, even though program planning isn’t part of her job description.  On a personal note, she has always given me wonderful advice about family and work – her “therapy chair” in front of her desk is always available, and I take advantage of that often."

Getting off the bench to cheer Claire on is easy to do.  Simply write Claire a short note thanking her for being an All-Star player.  Remind her that while her work can seem thankless, at best, and endless at worst, her contributions to that office make victories possible.  Literally, that without her jumping in and saving the day the lose column would be longer than the win column.  Write that in whatever way suits you.  

Then...

Seal it in a yellow envelope (or a white envelope decorated with yellow stickers and markers).  Place the words, "Yellow Envelope Project" in the return address and mail it to the address listed below.  And, commit to mailing it before next Saturday when we meet again to recognize another worthy recipient.

That's it.

One fan standing in the bleachers to cheer Claire on is nice - you know, fun.  We are hoping for a full-blown wave!  You send a letter and then tell someone else to send a letter.  Then, he tells someone to send a letter and that person, in turn, tells someone else.  Before you know it the coliseum is on their feet and... the crowd goes wild.

That's the kind of reception Claire deserves.

Shining off until Monday.