April 20-26, 2025 is National Volunteer Week! Please join us as we thank the wonderful volunteers who help us fulfill our mission: To improve the quality of life of individuals and their families living with MS and related neurological diseases through care, support, education and research. #NVW
Kate started volunteering with the Rocky Mountain MS Center exactly a year ago, in April 2024. She had recently moved to the area and was looking for meaningful ways to support her community. She decided to volunteer with the Rocky Mountain MS Center because her mother has MS.
Kate gets involved and participates in events, especially MS4MS, for many reasons. “I climb for my parents and all that they did for us. I climb for disability awareness, adaptive sports, and representation in the outdoors. When other MSYPN members ask me why I’m involved, it’s for this – I’m really proud to talk about my momma. And I hope that gives others hope. She navigated the journey of raising two babies, two aging parents, and an incredible husband that ran into burning buildings (he was an NYC firefighter!) every day. I’m so, so proud to talk about my family with the MSYPN folks and I hope that I can give them even an inch of solace. My momma’s been doing it for 40 years ago! You got this too!”
When Kate first started volunteering, she helped at the King Adult Day Enrichment Program (KADEP). The staff are so grateful to have help with groups, socializing with clients, and serving meals. The clients love getting to know Kate, and Kate really enjoys learning more about the clients and their lives. She has also helped at many of our MSYPN events, she is a member of the Rocky Mountain MS Center Ambassador Committee, and she played a huge role in the success of MS4MS.
“Kate’s dedication to our clients is evident in her thoughtful communication with both clients and team members,” says Samantha Theile, CTRS at KADEP. “She takes an active, supportive role in helping clients feel engaged and fulfilled during both group sessions and in their downtime. Kate consistently seeks feedback and looks for opportunities to create a more positive and meaningful experience for those we serve. We deeply appreciate everything she contributes to the program.”
Kate decided to start a personal fundraiser where she took on multiple mountains, including some that were higher than the tallest 14er in Colorado. When asked about how she raised awareness and funds for MS4MS, Kate said, “I ran an MS4MS campaign last summer ahead of climbing a few big mountains in Bolivia. My plan was to donate $0.01 for every foot of elevation I climbed (or tried to climb!) on a named peak between Memorial Day and Labor Day and my goal was to raise $5,280 – the elevation of Denver. I asked my friends and family to donate alongside me and we ended up raising $6,500. Together we climbed Mount Everest 20 times.” Kate was our top fundraiser for MS4MS 2024, she’s participating again in MS4MS 2025, and now she is on the MS4MS planning committee.
We’re so grateful to have Kate volunteer at the Rocky Mountain MS Center. We appreciate all the time and care she puts into all her volunteer roles.
For more information on National Volunteer Week, visit Points of Light.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities with the MS Center
The MS Center is actively seeking help for several upcoming volunteer needs for this summer and early fall. If you’re interested in one of the volunteer roles below, please reach out to Sarah Sin at ssin@mscenter.org or fill out our “Become a Volunteer” form.
Thank you for your support!
KADEP OUTDOOR PROJECTS
- Assistance with cleaning up the grounds – weeding, mulching, cleaning out gardens, and washing windows
- Good for individual volunteers or groups
- Projects can be scheduled when you’re available
- Larger projects, like mulching, we can pick a date that works for a group of volunteers
MS4MS FLAT 14ER
- The Flat 14er is a community event to raise funds and awareness for MS – we’ve mapped out a 14,000-foot course that’s accessible and open for anyone to walk, roll, run, or ride
- Saturday, June 7 at Clear Creek Valley Park in Arvada
- Volunteers start at 7am and the walk ends around 10:30/11am
- We need help with set up, registration, decorating, chalk art, break stations, and clean up
- Volunteers can participate too: www.mscenter.org/ms4ms
HOME & GARDEN COLORADO DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE OPEN HOUSES
- Open House in the Washington Park area – spotlights local design teams, builders, architects, and vendors
- Volunteers will help check in guests and are stationed in different areas around the home
- The RMMSC receives 100% of proceeds from this event
- We have one open spot
- June 21st : 12 noon to 2:30 p.m
ROCKY MOUNTAIN MS CENTER GALA
- Saturday, September 27 at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel – pick a shift below:
- First shift: 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. — assist with set up in the ballroom and auction areas
- Second shift: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. — greeting guests, helping at registration, assisting with live auction and mission call, helping hand out auction items