This week is National Volunteer Week, and we’d like to take a moment to say thank you to all our volunteers! We appreciate your dedicated service, and thank you for all the help you provide throughout the year!
For #NVW2016, we’d like to share a message from the Rocky Mountain MS Center’s CEO and Board of Directors Chair, as well as profiles of a few of the volunteers that help drive our mission forward. Take a look!
Dear Friends,
This week, we are celebrating National Volunteer Week (April 10th – April 16th). It’s an annual celebration when nonprofits, charities and community organizations take time to recognize those who give us so much support.
Volunteers are the backbone of an organization like ours. Every day, volunteers share their skills and talents with us in all kinds of ways. We see a range of volunteer contributions such as serving clients’ meals, assisting in classes, maintaining the grounds, staffing education events, and providing administrative support. Volunteer committee members set direction and strategy for our programs and major events. Even the participants in our clinical and research trials are volunteers, and they’re helping shape the very future of MS treatment.
To put this work into perspective, in 2015, we had 432 volunteers who donated 10,673 hours. In Colorado, the value of a volunteer hour is $26.68 (according to Independent Sector), which means the financial impact for these volunteer hours is $274,102. Digging even further, that contribution would equal five full time employees’ hours for the year! It’s so very clear that volunteers add immense depth and breadth to our organization and play an integral part in delivering our mission. Thank You!
Please join us this week — and all year long — as we appreciate our volunteers. In whatever capacity they join us, we would not be the organization we are today without their selfless and dedicated service.
With gratitude,
| Gina Berg, Chief Executive Officer | Brett Hanselman, Chair, Board of Directors |
Susan McDonell has volunteered with the Rocky Mountain MS Center for six years. Susan volunteers her time at our Education Summits, Annual Gala, and various other fundraising events. You will always find Susan with a smile on her face and eager to help out our staff and new volunteers.
Susan began volunteering because she was diagnosed with MS and found that she wasn’t finding much information, support, and resources when she received her diagnosis. She felt that others who were diagnosed with disease probably felt the same way. After getting involved with peer to peer counseling for MS and helping out with educational MS conferences, Susan met a fellow volunteer who referred her to the Rocky Mountain MS Center.
Once Susan began volunteering she felt like she was a part of the Rocky Mountain MS Center community. She says that she keeps coming back because of the friendly staff, flexible volunteer schedules, and ability to do hands on volunteer activities. “I very much enjoy being able to help others and to share my story and experiences with MS. It’s very helpful for me to connect with other people who have MS or who have a family member or friend affected by MS and feel that I’m making a positive impact,” explains Susan.
Trevor Bloomer started to volunteer with the Rocky Mountain MS Center’s King Adult Day Enrichment Program (KADEP) about a month ago. KADEP is an innovative, community-based and cost-effective day program alternative to nursing home placement for younger adults with MS, brain injury and other neurological conditions. KADEP provides a dynamic array of classes and activities, nursing care and other services designed to enhance the physical, emotional, cognitive and social wellbeing of each participant.
Having consistent volunteers at KADEP is essential in keeping the program running smoothly, and in building relationships with clients. KADEP’s Director, Michelle King, explains, “Dependable volunteers are a huge asset to our organization, and Trevor is a great example of a volunteer who is reliable, helpful, and willing to assist staff with any task at hand.”
Trevor started to volunteer at KADEP a month ago after hearing about volunteer opportunities through his high school. Every Tuesday he helps out by attending group sessions, serving at lunch, and assisting the staff and clients with administrative tasks. When asked why he chooses to volunteer, Trevor describes his enthusiasm for volunteering in this way: “I greatly enjoy working with people with disabilities, and appreciate that this experience has taught me responsibility, and has helped me get out of my comfort zone.” Trevor continues to volunteer at the Rocky Mountain MS Center because he enjoys building relationships with clients and says: “I find it rewarding to see how the clients benefit from the various group sessions and activities.”
Matt Tarpey has been a regular in the RMMSC’s administrative offices for several years, assisting with events, planning and data entry. “I volunteer at the Center to try and give back to the center,” says Matt. “I’ve gotten a lot out of the classes, seminars, and medical services offered by the RMMSC and want to help out in any way I can.”
Matt was diagnosed with MS in 2008, and it unfortunately affected his ability to work. Since then, he’s turned that into an opportunity to help.
“Since I’m not able to work, It’s important for me to do something where I feel I’m helping out and ‘giving back’ – the RMMSC has helped me out in a variety of ways during my journey with MS and I feel it’s the least I can do.”
One group that volunteers with KADEP is from Regis University. The students are studying to become physical therapists, and serve 10 hours per semester at a chosen volunteer site. The Rocky Mountain MS Center is so thankful to currently have 8 students from Regis University volunteering.
Three of those terrific volunteers are Rebecca Brunson, Annika Larson, and Shoko Nastume. Each student is excited to volunteer at the Rocky Mountain MS Center because they will be working with patients who have TBI, MS, and other neurological issues. The students originally chose KADEP because they found the services and classes that KADEP offers to be interesting and unique., The students believe that “This experience has helped me understand how to care for patients, and it’s given me a new life perspective because I’ve gotten to know the clients – they are all so inspiring to me.”
KADEP is happy to have groups volunteer by assisting with group sessions, serving in the kitchen, gardening, and more. One of the great things about KADEP is that we are so flexible with scheduling and volunteers are able to choose where they’d like to volunteer based on what interests them.
Our entire organization is so thankful to have volunteers like Susan, Trevor and the students from Regis University who are dedicated to our mission of improving the quality of life of individuals and their families living with MS and related neurological diseases through care, support, education and research. We appreciate the time and hard work that each of our volunteers donate. Our programs, events, and educational activities would not be possible without the help of our volunteers.
If you would like to find out more about volunteering for the RMMSC and KADEP, or if you are part of a group that is interested in volunteering with us, please fill out our volunteer application or contact Sarah Kyger at 303-788-4030 ext. 111 or skyger@mscenter.org.