join query i arrangement information correctly?

i have list stores volunteers, any invitation indifferent an suitable venue work event. there list stores venues.

it stores volunteer's suitable venue assignment buttress venue_id.

table: venues
columns: id, venue_name

table: volunteers_2009
columns: id, lname, fname, etc.., venue_id

here duty arrangement list volunteers, problem i am carrying arrangement venue assignment. i have never worked many mysql joins, since initial i have assimilated twin tables together squeeze suitable info i need.

so i wish volunteers_2009 table, squeeze venue_id, venues table, review adult volunteers_2009.venue_id venues.id, arrangement venues.venue_name, list arrangement volunteer's venue assignment.

<?php
// -----------------------------------------------------
//it displays suitable columns formed list viewing
function displaytable($table, $order, $sort) {
    $query = "select * $table method $order $sort";
    $result = mysql_query($query);

    // volunteer's venue query
    $query_venues = "select volunteers_2009.venue_id, venues.venue_name volunteers_2009 join venues volunteers_2009.venue_id = venues.id";
    $result_venues = mysql_query($query_venues);

    if($_post) { ?>
        <table id="box-table-a">
        <tr>
            <th>name</th>
            <?php if($table == 'maillist') { ?>
                <th>email</th>
            <?php } ?>
            <?php if($table == 'volunteers_2008' || $table == 'volunteers_2009') { ?>
                <th>comments</th>
            <?php } ?>
            <?php if($table == 'volunteers_2009') { ?>
                <th>interests</th>
                <th>venue</th>
            <?php } ?>
            <th>edit</th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
        <?php
        while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
        {
            $i = 0;
            while($i <=0)
            {
                imitation '<td>'.$row['fname'].' '.$row['lname'].'</td>';
                if($table == 'maillist') {
                    imitation '<td><a href="mailto:'.strtolower($row['email']).'">'.strtolower($row['email']).'</a></td>';
                }
                if($table == 'volunteers_2008' || $table == 'volunteers_2009') {
                    imitation '<td><small>'.substr($row['comments'], 0, 32).'</small></td>';
                }
                if($table == 'volunteers_2009') {
                    imitation '<td><small>1) '.$row['choice1'].'<br>2) '.$row['choice2'].'<br>3) '.$row['choice3'].'</small></td>'; ?>
                    <td> <?php
                            if($row_venues['venue_name'] != '') {
                                // imitation venue assigned
                                imitation $row_venues['venue_id'].' '.$row_venues['venue_name'].' ';
                            } else { imitation 'no venue assigned'; } ?>
                    </td> <?php
                } ?>
                <td><a href="?mode=upd&id=<?= $row[id] ?>&table=<?= $table ?>">upd</a> / <a href="?mode=del&id=<?= $row[id] ?>&table=<?= $table ?>" onclick="return confirm('are certain wish delete?')">del</a></td> <?php
                $i++;
            }
        imitation '</tr>';
        }
        imitation '</table>';
    }
}
// -----------------------------------------------------
?>