VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK

 

Each week, the Volunteer Center of Greensboro profiles an outstanding volunteer in the community. The profile is printed in the News & Record, People & Places section, each Sunday and airs on WFMY-News 2 noon news broadcast each Wednesday.

If your agency or school would like to nominate someone for Volunteer of the Week,
please call the Volunteer Center at 378-6846, e-mail janinegriffin@volunteergso.org.

February 16

Alison Mercier's 1st and 2nd grade class at Hunter Elementary
Project Linus, Covers 4 Kids

Hunter Elementary students hold up blankets theyre making for Project Linus. Teacher Alison Mercier (center),
and teacher assistant Sheila Talley (right).

What started as an economics lesson quickly turned into a life experience for the 16 students in Alison Merciers class at Hunter Elementary.

Mercier was looking for a hands-on way to teach her first and second graders about producers and consumers when she remembered a woman at her church who volunteered for Project Linus, which makes blankets for children in crisis. Could her children produce blankets, Mercier wondered, and could Project Linus be their consumers?

The two women taught the children to make no-sew fleece blankets by cutting the edges of the fabric into strips and tying them in square knots. The class finished three blankets and proudly donated them to Project Linus.

"It was hard to make the knots," said class spokesperson Mohamed Awo, 8. But the students decided the hard work was worth it when they learned that the blankets went to children in need. "My friends tell me good luck when I tell them what Im doing," Mohamed said proudly.

Mohamed Awo, 8.

When the fabric ran out, the class wanted to continue their work, but realized they needed money to buy more materials. So they designed and printed a flyer and distributed it to friends, relatives, and others at the school. "The children made presentations to teachers and staff and asked for donations of fifty cents or a dollar. Some people were so impressed that they donated $20. When we counted the money, it was a big shock for us all to realize wed collected more than $100," said Mercier.

"When the students learned that I purchased the material for the first three blankets myself, they insisted on reimbursing me, and then we went out and bought more fabric."

Not only has Mercier taught the class important economics, budgeting, and marketing lessons but she also taught them the importance of helping others. "We talked about how Project Linus helps sick and traumatized children," said Mercier. "They love the idea that theyre helping other children, some of them their own age. They talk about it all the time."

Mercier herself started volunteering as a child through her church youth group. "Children are never too young to volunteer. No matter what their circumstances, they can always do something for other people," she said.

"Were proud to have such dedicated volunteers," said Margaret Money, spokesperson for Project Linus. "These are absolutely our youngest volunteers. Who knows how this experience will affect them the rest of their lives?"

As a first year teacher, Mercier has taught herself an important lesson. "The more hands on I can make my lessons, the better children learn. I try to help my children make connections between what they learn in school and life."

The life lesson has gone so well that other classes at the school want Merciers students to teach them how to make Project Linus blankets. "Weve planted a seed," Mercier said. With love and guidance, that seed cant help but grow into something beautiful.

If you'd like to contribute materials or make a financial donation to this class, please contact Alison Mercier at Hunter Elementary School, 1305 Merritt Drive, Greensboro NC 27407 or call 294-7345.

February 9

Lynn Bennett
Reading Connections

Lynn Bennett (right) reads with Reading Connections student Latisha Eaddy.

What she does:
As a child, Lynn Bennett read everything she could, including cereal boxes on the breakfast table. "Reading is such a joy," she said. "It takes us anywhere we want to go. We meet anyone we want to meet and learn anything we want to learn."

For the past four years, Bennett has imparted her joy of reading to students at Reading Connections. Reading Connections provides adults with free, confidential basic literacy services. "Because were student-centered, we work on what Latisha wants to learn. Shes the guiding force," explained Bennett. The two meet once a week for an hour and a half to work on Latishas reading, writing, and listening skills.

"Our goal is to help adults reach their personal goals," said Bennett. "Those might include getting a drivers license, reading the label on a medicine bottle, or reading to a child." In Guilford County, 21% of the adult population experiences a reading or writing difficulty that seriously affects daily life.

Latisha practices her new found skills every day at home. "It takes a lot of work to learn to read," she said, "but its fun having Lynn help me."

Why she volunteers:
"When people have time, energy, or a special interest, they owe it to their community and to their fellow man to volunteer," said Bennett, who moved to Greensboro five years ago from Cleveland. "Ive been a volunteer most of my life. When my husband and I moved here, I decided to try my hand at adult literacy, an issue I believe is critical in this country."

Bennett is such an effective tutor that she now conducts a 20-hour training program for other Reading Connections tutors. "Being a tutor doesnt require a teaching background," she explained. "We focus on how adults learn and work on practical methods to teach the kind of learning a student needs, whether its to get ahead at work or help children with homework. Tutoring adults requires sensitivity, understanding, patience, and most of all a love of reading and learning."

What she tells others about volunteering:
"Its amazing how resourceful adults can be," Bennett said. "It takes a lot of intelligence to learn tricks and techniques to cover illiteracy. It also takes a lot of courage to admit that you need help.

"Unfortunately, too many people in our country need help. I love helping other adults discover the freedom that comes from being independent readers."

If you'd like to volunteer with Reading Connections, call Doris Sides at 230-2223. Learn more about Reading Connections at www.readingconnections.org

February 2

Rebekah Page
Moses Cone Hospital Teen Volunteer Program

Rebekah Page plays with pediatric patient Makayla

What she does:
Seventeen-year-old Rebekah Page loves the beach. But she loves helping others more. So each summer for the past three years, she gives up weeks of swimming in the ocean to volunteer at Moses Cone Hospital.

The Page High School senior has worked in many areas of the hospital including the Extended Care Center, cardiology, rehabilitation, and pediatrics. Before she became a volunteer when she was just 14, she thought she might be interested in a career in the medical field, and her experience in the hospital reinforced her decision. She hopes next fall to enroll in the physical therapy department at East Carolina University.

"Many people study something in college that they think they might be interested in. Then they find out they dont really like it. Volunteering at the hospital gives me good, hands-on experience so I know studying physical therapy something I really want to do," said Page.

Page loves being around all the patients in the hospital. "It gives me pleasure to work with sick children," she said. "I like putting a smile on their faces when I play with them."

Page joins more the nearly 150 teens who volunteer through the Moses Cone hospital system. Spokesmen are quick to point out that teens are important to patient satisfaction because they can spend extra time with patients and give them the special attention they deserve.

Why she volunteers:
As a child, Page watched her mother volunteer at school and realized the importance of volunteering. "I think its important to have a role model," she said. "Everyone knows you help others by volunteering, but if you dont know what volunteering can do for you as a person, you might not take the step."

Page believes strongly in the national call to volunteerism, especially for young people. "Volunteering makes me feel as if I can make a difference," she said. "You see much more of life when you serve others than you might normally see. I think I have a better sense of what real life is like. Im better prepared for facing the world because volunteering has given me a sense of commitment and responsibility."

What she tells others about volunteering:
Volunteering can give you a new perspective, according to Page. "Ive really enjoyed working with doctors and nurses, and Ive gained a whole new level of respect for the work they do," she said.

"Ive met all kinds of people, and Ive made lots of new friends. Ive also had a whole lot of fun. If I didnt volunteer, Id have missed out on a lot."

If you'd like to volunteer at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, call Lynn Wells, 832-7299. Learn more about Moses Cone Memorial Hospital at www.mosescone.com

 

January 26

Jamee Lawson & Addie Sellars
Partrnership FIVE
(Fostering Inclusive Volunteer Efforts)

 

Addie Sellars (left) and Jamee Lawson work on a mailing for the Greenboro Youth Council.

What they do:
Teens Jamee Lawson and Addie Sellars have developed quite a friendship. They met through a new initiative in the community called Partnership FIVE, which matches teens with youths with disabilities to work cooperatively on community service projects.
The two regularly prepare mailings for the Greensboro Youth Council. This Christmas, they cleaned toys for Santas Workshop, GYCs annual toy drive. Their work not only benefits the community, but also helps tear down barriers people may have about the disabled.

"Addie is my buddy," explained Jamee. "Sometimes people are skittish about being around people with disabilities, but theyre just like everyone else. My parents own rest homes for mentally disabled adults, so Im comfortable with the disabled. Addie and I like a lot of the same things, and we have a lot of fun just being together."

Seventeen-year-old Jamee is a senior at Western Alamance High School, and 14-year-old Addie is at Kernodle Middle School. Both like talking about dogs, horses, school, and of course boys, although neither claims a boyfriend.

Each has skills and talents they want to share with the other. A Special Olympics Silver Medalist swimmer, Addie plans to teach Jamee how to swim. Addie also is the more outgoing of the two. "She just introduces herself to other people, and she helps me meet others," said Jamee.

Why they volunteer:
"If you have something you can give back to help others, you should take that opportunity," said Jamee. "Plus volunteering is a lot of fun because you meet new people. Even after I start college next year, I plan to stay in touch with Addie because were friends."

Even though theyre close in age, Jamee sees herself as a mentor to Addie. "I want to help Addie get to know people her own age so shell have confidence to get involved with all kinds of things and meet all kinds of people."

Jamee remembers her own mentor, a woman she thought of as a grandmother. "She was a judge and took me to court on my days off from school. She really influenced me, and now Im thinking about becoming a lawyer."

What they tell others about volunteering:
"Dont be afraid just because someone has a disability," said Jamee. "Theres nothing to be scared of. It doesnt mean that person is any different from you or I. Just find someone close to your age and who shares some of your interests, and I think youll be surprised how much fun youll have."

If you'd like to volunteer with Partnership FIVE, call Kim Miller, 334-4480, e-mail

 

January 19

Sasha Wright
Junior Achievement

What she does:
Sasha Wright is a patient woman. "My grown stepdaughter finally told us that we were right about something we said to her 10 years ago! That was really great to hear, and it made me realize how important it is for kids to have somebody helping them along every day of their lives."

Thats why Wright has been a Junior Achievement volunteer for three years. "It was a constant struggle for my husband and me to keep up with our children when they were in school. Just going to all the meetings and keeping up with homework took a lot of time," she said. "When our children were grown and married, I knew it was the perfect time for me to go back into the schools and help other kids. We have so many intelligent people in Greensboro, so many great businesses and universities, and I know we can do a better job educating our children if we all work together."

Wright teaches the Junior Achievement curriculum at Jackson and Allen Middle Schools. Sixth-graders learn the basics of economics, seventh-graders talk about careers and the importance of staying in school, and eighth-graders learn the importance of first impressions and good interviewing skills.

"Even though kids are learning, they see me in a different light from their teacher," Wright said. "Im a person from their community, someone they see all the time in grocery stores or restaurants, and we can develop friendships."
Wrights focus is on keeping kids in school. "Im always encouraged when I walk into a classroom and ask whos going to college. Everyone raises a hand! Then I ask how theyre going to pay for school. These kids have plans. Some say their parents are saving, and others say they work odd jobs and give money to their parents. Im constantly amazed how kids are already driven at this age.
"I want to show kids all the options they have for their future. Theres a difference between being a bus driver and owning a fleet of buses. Thats what I want them to see."

Why she volunteers:
"Volunteering is a very personal thing," said Wright, who also works for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Services. "I see my work with children as an investment. I might not know that something I said to a kid stuck, but thats all right. Even if I never saw a student again, its good to know that Ive tried to give them something to think about and consider for their future.

"I can never write a check big enough to help all the children I teach. But I can give them my time, and thats even more valuable."
The New York native learned the importance of service to others from her mother. "My mother made my sisters and me volunteer as candystripers, and we grumbled about it at the time. But now, looking back on it, I realize what a good idea it is for people of all ages to help each other."

What she tells others about volunteering:
"If you watch a television show once a week, youve got the time to be a volunteer," said Wright.

"Helping children is one of the most important things we can do. These are the people wholl be running our country soon. Were leaving the future to these kids, and we cant just pass them in the streets today and say Ill do what I can for you someday. Weve got to do all we can for them today."

If you'd like to volunteer for Junior Achievement, call Aubree Royal, 299-4339, e-mail . Learn more about Junior Achievement at www.jacnc.com

 

January 12

Alice Rice
Jubilee Jobs

What she does:
In everything she does, Alice Rice is a listener. For the past year, shes found this gift especially useful in her work for Jubilee Jobs, an ecumenical ministry which helps people who have difficulty finding employment.

"My major contribution is to listen to clients," she said. "They tell me their story and their circumstances, and I lend a sympathetic ear. Many times, they find out more about themselves because theyve told their story aloud. I think theyve not really been listened to in that way before. Often, professional people want to fix a problem or give advice. Thats not what Im here for. I help our clients look inside themselves for answers."

Once Rice hears a clients story, shes better able to help the agency director place the person in an appropriate job and track his or her progress. Jubilee Jobs also offers clients a series of workshops to teach them how to complete job applications, go on interviews, budget their money, work with others, and keep a job. Most clients are referred to Jubilee Jobs by area churches, the Department of Social Services, and Greensboro Urban Ministry. "We do more than get people jobs," Rice said. "We try to help them change their lives."

Getting people to open up to a stranger isnt an easy task. "I think listening may be a gift," said Rice, "but being a good listener also involves having a sense of security and peace of mind. If those qualities are intact, you dont need to assert your opinion or inject yourself in a conversation. You dont feel the need to judge someone else.
"I hope when someone talks with me, I put across understanding and kindness. I want people to feel safe talking with me."

Why she volunteers:
"I feel so blessed in my life that I want to share some of my joy with others," said Rice. "Thats only fair."
The former teacher believes strongly in the power of mentoring. "I try to represent stability to the people I meet and to be someone they can lean on.

"I was lucky to have parents who loved me, and I have a wonderful husband. I was also lucky to have a mentor myself when I was young. My mothers sister was both a big sister and aunt to me. She was a single career woman in the 1940s, when that was really unusual, and she had a glamorous job in New York. She was bright and curious about life, and I wanted to be just like her. Once, she took me to Mexico for the Christmas holidays when I was a senior in college. She opened up the world to me, and Ive never forgotten that."

What she tells others about volunteering:
"Each of us is put here for a reason. We each have a job to do, and if we dont do it, it doesnt get done. The secret is to tap into the gift God has given us so we can give back to others. Some people feel the call to service more than others."

If you'd like to volunteer for Jubilee Jobs, call Antoine Fuller at 378-9100