Breakfast with Champions

This morning, I had the pleasure of attending what I would call a breakfast with champions, an opportunity for our Aging & Disability Resource Center to thank its volunteer corps for the work they do generously, selflessly, faithfully all year long. In my 30-year career, I have had the opportunity to work with and supervise volunteers in all three of my professional positions. My first experience was at Circus World Museum where I supervised our 275-strong volunteer staff for over 15 years. These talented individuals did everything from help restore antique circus wagons to usher at performances, greet guests to stuff mailings, host school bands to guide tours. It was during that era of my life when I came to realize how very powerful and meaningful volunteerism can be. In my next career as the director of the St. Clare Health Care Foundation for the next 12+ years, I worked with a volunteer board of directors whose civic and business leadership translated to the dynamic strength of our not-for-profit.  I also served as staff liaison to a hospital auxiliary comprised of dedicated and hardworking volunteers and I established numerous committees made up of volunteers who lent their expertise and energy to all facets of our foundation's operations. Now, at the helm of the ADRC, I see volunteers in action in new ways as they work one on one with our agency's clients. These faithful volunteers ensure that our clients have a hot meal delivered to their homes.  They provide rides to out-of-town medical appointments.  They assemble our popular newsmagazine for over 5,000 recipients. And more. Today's breakfast was a humbling experience, for indeed it was a breakfast to honor and thank our champions.