Volunteer Spotlight

by Joan Minor

Volunteer and Spiritual Life Coordinator

 

     While Nicole (not her real name) shyly smiled behind her hand at a recent birthday party, everyone around her could tell this meant more to her than she was letting on.

     Before coming to UMCH, Nicole didn’t have many birthday parties at home and the ones she did have were sad events ruined by abuse. Unfortunately, Nicole is like many of the other youth living in our Residential and Transitional Living programs. A birthday party to them is much more than just balloons and cake; it is a time for them to see people who care about them.

     That is why it is so important to remember such little details as birthday parties, Christmas dinners, and spring picnics.  These are the little things that give life color and joy.  These are the things that the Friends Auxiliary in Mt. Vernon provides.

     The Friends Auxiliary is a group of volunteers who have helped children and families served by UMCH for the past several years.  This group plans the birthday parties, picnics, and dinners that show our youth how much we all care about them.

     As a former school teacher, Mary Suddarth knows how important it is to let kids know you care.  Mary has volunteered at UMCH since 2003 in the Friends Auxiliary.  Her dedication and commitment to the youth and families served by UMCH led Mary to not only take the lead as president of the Mt. Vernon Friends Auxiliary this year but also to join the UMCH Governing Board of Directors.  Mary remembers when Nicole first came to UMCH.

     “The greatest part of volunteering is being with the kids and seeing how far they have come since I’ve known them,” Mary said. “Nicole has really become so outgoing and friendly compared to how she was when we first met. She always has a smile.”

 

     Recently, an additional Friends Auxiliary has begun meeting in Centralia. This group’s focus will be on enhancing the UMCH services offered in Marion County. Whether it’s helping the young men and women in YouthBuild or the first-time mothers in Nurse Family Partnership, the Centralia Friends Auxiliary will have plenty of opportunities to show they care. All volunteers benefit the agency and the services provided, but the Friends group is unique.

     “We are special friends for the youth. We want to make them feel like we are all a part of a family,” she said.

     Mary has enjoyed volunteering with the youth at UMCH so much she has even gotten her husband Ed involved with different activities.  “It’s a great feeling to know that these are kids who lack so much but are helped by what UMCH does and who are helped by what we volunteers can do,” she said.

     The Mt. Vernon Friends Auxiliary meets at 9:30 a.m. on the first Monday of the months of March, April, May, June, September, November, and December at UMCH. The Centralia Friends Auxiliary meets at 4 p.m. the first Monday of those months at the Kaskaskia College Workforce Center.

     “I would encourage anyone to join us. You receive a much greater reward than you can imagine,” Mary said.

 

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact

Joan Minor, Volunteer Coordinator

618-242-1070 ext. 240 or jminor@umchome.org

 

 

More volunteer opportunities are listed at:

www.umchome.org/waystohelp