May/June 2018 What time is it? Vol. XLVI No.3 Time to tutor! Terri Fedak, an AARP Foundation Experience Corps literacy tutor was the inaugural recipient of the Frances White Gale Award for Educational Excellence due to her volunteering efforts day-to-day and year-to-year – 17 of them! Terri came to volunteering after accepting a company “buy-out”. She had the same questions most people have when they experience a life-style change; what do I do now? She reflected on wanting to work with children. She wasn’t sure how to go about doing this and let it simmer in her life for a while. An ad in her church bulletin brought that thought forward again. She reached out to Greater Cleveland Volunteers for more information. Terri has embraced the literacy program because of the guidance and support she, and all tutors, receive. She serves as a mentor to new tutors and many of them enjoy shadowing her for a better understanding of the position. Her greatest motivation is what she has witnessed over the years. “It’s the other tutors! They show their love for children and this inspires me.” She keeps coming back year after year because she knows how important literacy skills are and the earlier they are developed the more confident the student is. Welcome two new staff members: Melissa Elick: Joining our agency as the Special Projects Coordinator, Melissa was the Community Event Specialist for the City of Akron coordinating festivals and other events for the community. She is a Kent State University graduate with her B.A in Communications. Although born and raised in the Akron area, she is a Cleveland enthusiast and enjoys the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Cavaliers and attending a wide variety of events in the area. She enjoys soaking up the Cleveland “vibe” as a resident in Downtown Cleveland. Melissa also tries to add running, hiking and traveling to her days. Harvey Wasserman: After 30 years of marketing products for the construction industry, Harvey recently changed his career plans in order to help the community where he was born and raised. He’s excited to be on the Greater Cleveland Volunteers team as our Operations Assistant. In his spare time, Harvey likes to read novels, play golf, watch movies, visit family in Columbus and volunteer at his place of worship. On weekends you’ll often find him looking for treasures at garage sales, flea markets, and estate sales. In addition, Harvey is one of our volunteers donating his time to partner agencies. We welcome Melissa and Harvey to the Greater Cleveland Volunteers Staff! Summer is ahead! We’re Connected: Joy Banish, Executive Director One of our partner agencies As a leader As we move into the summer months we are recruit- in imagina- ing volunteers for community special events. (one- tive and cre- time). If you are interested in getting involved in any ative play, of these events, the schedule is available on our The Chil- website- just click on the “volunteer” page and then dren’s Museum of Cleveland (CMC) gives children a chose “special events”. place and the tools to write their own script and dis- cover their own adventures through interactive ex- Summer is also a busy volunteer recruitment sea- hibits and programs. CMC offer an open-ended son for us. We are always looking for places that we learning environment giving children the opportunity can share information about volunteering. If you to imagine, experiment, problem-solve and com- know of any places that are looking for speakers to municate. talk about volunteerism or where we could share our literature please contact Nakeva in our office at Now in a new home at 3813 Euclid Avenue, CMC 216-391-9500 x 116 or offers three new exhibit spaces with fun experience. [email protected] Those exhibits feature some old favorites returning th in a redesigned way. We just completed the 20 year of managing a liter- acy tutoring program for students in kindergarten The Children’s Museum of Cleveland is seeking vol- through third grade. The program started as unteers who enjoy interacting with children and fami- “Seniors for Schools” and is now known as AARP lies. The museum offers a variety of opportunities to Foundation Experience Corps. Over the years we volunteer and a flexible schedule. have provided tutoring to more than 14,000 students in the Cleveland and Euclid city school districts. Our To discover the volunteering opportunities and tutors are making such a difference in the lives of schedules contact Cecille at 216-391-9500 x 122 or these young students and we say thank you to all of [email protected]. these dedicated, caring volunteers! Tutors, Larry Jemison (L) assists a student with site Flower Sale words, Gary DeWine We held a flower, vegetable, herb sale and it was a continues with pro- success! Thanks to those who volunteered, pur- gress on worksheets chased items or made on-line financial contribu- and Cheryl Palac is getting materials tions. ready. L– Gail Cox, volunteer, pulls an order. Noelle Dzurnak, volunteer, directs the way for pick-up. Page 2 Spotlight on a Partner Agency Since 1920, volunteers have been an important part of University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Each year dedicated community, college and teen volunteers working side by side make an impact as they meet the needs of patients, families and staff. Placements are as varied as licensed cosmetologists volunteering in the Seidman Cancer Center wig salon to community members reading to children in outpatient areas. In the newly-opened Wel- come Center, volunteers greet patients and families, offering hospital and University Circle infor- mation, diversionary activities, friendly conversation, and a peaceful place to wait. Volunteering at University Hospitals provides people with an opportunity to interact with others, us- ing people and career skills in a giving setting. Whether it is escorting a patient to an appointment or volunteering in UH’s Level 1 Trauma Center Emergency Department, volunteers make a difference every day. Volunteers at University Hospitals come from varied backgrounds, not only medicine, be- cause everyone has something to give. And everyone who gives gets back even more. If volunteering in a medical facility holds an interest with you, contact Cecille 216-391-9500 x 122 or [email protected]. She will review your interests and availability to match you with assignments. Volunteers Gene Collovecchio and Carolyn Oakes are all smiles to customers in the gift shop. Article submitted by University Hospitals Use our unique link every time you shop on Amazon Smile and they donate a % of your qualifying sales to our agency. http://smile.amazon.com/ch/34-1356768. On-Line Communications A reminder to our volunteers that we offer online enrollment for new volunteers and to our current volunteers, the capability to update their information (contact information, volunteer interests, driver’s license, emergency contact, etc.) directly via a secured section on our website, greaterclevelandvolunteers.org. Log into your profile by using your username and password. If you have any issues logging in, contact Denise, Database Coordinator at [email protected] New Feature: You can now sign up for special event opportunities online. Sign in with your username and password and you can schedule yourself for the upcoming special event opportuni- ties. A great new, easy-to-use feature for the upcoming busy special event “season”. Questions? Contact Jan at 216-391-9500 x 124 or [email protected] Page 3 Donations and Contributions We acknowledge and thank all of our donors that provided a gift to our agency from January 1 to May 4, 2018. AARP Foundation Experience Corps Michael Jenkins Alpha Delta Kappa, Ohio Alpha Nu Frances L. Johnson American Cancer Society Janet Jordan Tom Barnard Ronald McDonald House Gary Bombei Joyful Noise Music School Bette Bonder Judson at University Circle Eliza Bryant Village Calvin Leonard Himan Brown Charitable Trust The Catherine L. & Edward A. Lozick Foundation H.K. Carbon Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage Mark Carden Shawn McDermott Becky Carlino-Madigan McGregor Foundation Center for Community Solutions Medical Mutual of Ohio Cleveland Botanical Garden MetroHealth System Cleveland Foundation Murtis H. Taylor Human Services System Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center North East Ohio Musical Heritage Association Cleveland Teachers Union Ruth Ann Peake The Estate of Helen Chamberjian The Estate of Nancy Pottorff Helen C. Cole Charitable Trust Gene Phillips Corporation for National and Community Service Playhouse Square Ken & Debbie Davis Judith Quib Patty Dotts John Reynolds Ann Eland The Stocker Foundation Empowering Youth, Exploring Justice The Children’s Museum of Cleveland Friends of the Greenhouse Donna J. Thomas Koinonia Homes United States Department of Justice Great Lakes Science Center United Way of Greater Cleveland Helen F. Stolier & Louis Stolier Family Foundation University Hospitals Health System Hospice of the Western Reserve Upside of Downs of Northeast Ohio Joan A. Ibbett Stanley Wertheim International Women's Air & Space Museum Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging Dianna M. Kall Ann Zellmer On behalf of the Greater Cleveland Board of Directors, staff and our 100+ nonprofit partners, we acknowledge and thank individual donors, local businesses and foundations who have pledged their sup- port to our agency this year! Because of you, we are able to recruit, train and connect thousands of peo- ple with meaningful volunteer opportunities each year. These opportunities help to: Positively shape the lives of at-risk children through mentoring Provide the most vulnerable citizens access to basic needs and health care Keep seniors actively engaged in their communities Facilitate evidence-based literacy tutoring to student in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Strengthen the foundation of local nonprofit organizations Your support is vital in helping us make Cuyahoga County a special place to live for everyone.