A Look Back at National Volunteer Appreciation Week 2015

Last week, Imagine! celebrated National Volunteer Appreciation Week by spotlighting the many contribution that volunteers share by giving their talent and time to our organization on the Imagine! Facebook page. Volunteers are a huge part of Imagine!’s success. In the fiscal year 2013-2014, 409 people voluntarily gave their talent and time to Imagine!, providing 12,261 hours of service. The estimated value of those volunteer hours to Imagine! during that time is $275,025.45!

We’d like to recognize Leona Stoecker, who is an incredible Imagine ambassador. Leona regularly brings local business and community leaders, as well as Rotarians from around the world to tour and visit Imagine!’s Charles Family SmartHome. Leona is an Emeritus member of the Imagine! Foundation Board of Directors, and is recognized by all for her infectious enthusiasm and passion supporting the Imagine! Mission. Thank you Leona for your contributions as an Imagine! volunteer.

We’d like to recognize the Rusk family (Kristen, Serena, Isabelle, and Jason), who volunteer at Imagine!’s Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome every Tuesday night for board game fun! Residents truly enjoy the regular good and kind hearted fun that the Rusk family brings each Tuesday night. Staff at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome shared that “each resident has a blast when the Rusk family visits, because of their enthusiasm and genuine interest when chatting about what is new in each of the resident’s lives.” Thank you Rusk family for your contributions as an Imagine! volunteers. 

We'd like to recognize Zoe Pols, who has been sharing her creativity and compassion with Imagine! for nearly two years. Zoe has volunteered with our CORE/Labor Source program, working to support staff and students in their art, creative writing, and music classes. Zoe has also volunteered her creative talents by creating beautiful centerpieces for Imagine!’s annual fundraising event the Imagine! Celebration. Thank you Zoe for your contributions as an Imagine! volunteer.

We'd like to recognize Elizabeth Straka who has volunteered with Imagine!'s Out & About program. As a volunteer, Elizabeth has worked with participants and staff in Out & About’s Children’s After School program during bowling outings and with Centre Stage for Kids rehearsals. Everyone appreciates the caring energy that Elizabeth brings as a volunteer, and the kids really respond well to her. She is playful, attentive, and is always willing to help where needed. In the picture below, Elizabeth is on the left wearing a black top. Thank you Elizabeth for your contributions as an Imagine! volunteer. 

Volunteers bring much more than monetary value to our organization. Imagine! is a community-based organization, and we can’t do what we do without the support of our community. Volunteering offers a great opportunity for members of our community to experience first-hand the vital work Imagine! employees do, and just as important, to see the amazing contributions that individuals served by Imagine! bring to their communities every day. Imagine! volunteers frequently become donors to our organization, and many end up working for us full time!

By the way, do you know of someone interested in volunteering for Imagine!? Or do you have an Imagine! project that could use assistance from volunteers? If so, contact Imagine!’s Volunteer Coordinator by email Elizabeth Hill, or phone 303-926-6460.

Finally, check out the short video below, created to encourage more people to volunteer at Imagine!.

Can’t see the video? Click here: https://youtu.be/z395EkKvqH8