Volunteer Times

A Listing of short-term volunteer opportunities

Volunteer Guide

Events

Wisconsin Public Service Volunteer Awards Breakfast

A record-breaking audience gathered to honor exceptional volunteers at the 23rd Annual WPS Volunteer Awards, which took place on April 21st at the KI Convention Center.  Nearly 180 nominations were submitted within seven different award categories.  The event was orchestrated by the Volunteer Center and sponsored by the Wisconsin Public Service.

“Volunteers have a powerful impact in our community, and the WPS Volunteer Awards is a wonderful celebration of their service,” said Christine Danielson, executive director of the Volunteer Center. 

Thank you Sponsors! 

Title Sponsor
In-Kind Support	Erin Davisson & Tom Zalaski
Breakfast
Corporate Table Sponsors	1st Choice Landscaping American Foods Group Ansay & Associates Energis High Voltage Resources, Inc. Green Bay Network Now- Chapter of HBBA Hager, Dewick & Zuengler, S.C. Imaginasium Oneida Nation Smet Construction Services Wesley Heating and Cooling Women’s Fund Advisory Board

Each of the seven awards was sponsored by a local company or foundation.  Below is a summary of the accomplishments of each of the recipients.

Green Bay Packaging Volunteer in Education Award
It has been said that “diversity is the spice of the human stew,” and by providing more learning opportunities related to cultural diversity, Sarah Stumpf is enriching the flavor of education at Hillcrest  Elementary School.  Her emphasis has been on creating educational experiences that give students the opportunity to learn more about their own heritage, explore other cultures, and gain a greater understanding of the complex, rich diversity within their own community and the larger world.  Through Sarah’s efforts, the curriculum exploring diversity has expanded from 2-4 weeks a year, to learning opportunities throughout the academic year.  The learning experiences she creates engage both students and their families.  She has enthusiastically created arts experiences that create give children the chance to learn about diversity, secured grants, and engaged volunteers with expertise in the arts and multiculturalism to come into the schools.

Schreiber Foods, Inc. Volunteer Youth Award
Nikhitha Murali, a student at Ashwaubenon High School, has already had a major impact on not just her community, but people in a rural village in India.  She initiated an Indian Health Camp that she designed all on her own. Nikhitha raised more than $4,000 to fund the camp, which provided services to 200 people in a remote village.  The effort emphasized the provision of hygiene supplies and techniques to prevent future illness.  A local philanthropist was so inspired by Nikhitha’s story that he donated a new water pump and filtration system for the village.  Nikhitha found relevant non-profit organizations to participate in the project and recruited doctors as well.  An aspiring doctor herself, Nikhitha has had a positive impact on the health of an entire village before she has even started college!

Georgia-Pacific Adult Volunteer Award
Frank Czarnecki has dedicated 15 years of his life to servicing people who need to learn or improve their English language and literacy skills. He has acted as a tutor, an evaluator, and a classroom instructor, and advocate for the Literacy Green Bay organization.  Frank said, “I see stars every time I walk into the Literacy Green Bay building.  I see people who come to class or tutoring after a long day at work.  I see mothers bringing their children so both of tem can improve their English.  I see English speakers who’ve decided it’s time to face the demon of being unable to read, and do something about it.”

Bellin Health Small Group Award
Casey Cuene and Sherri Prosser provided the vision, leadership, and planning that enabled Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin to create a Child Advocacy Center.  The Center is a place where abused children can come forward, or be taken, to begin healing from various types of abuse.  The dramatic increase in child abuse over recent years made the need for the services provided by the Child Advocacy Center frighteningly clear.  The Center provides a safe place for children to tell their stories, and it has the technical capabilities to record it, so the child only has to tell their story once.  This testimony can then be shown to service providers, law enforcement officers, and the courts so that the child doesn’t have to keep reliving the trauma.  Instead, they can move on to healing, and a brighter future.

Green Bay Packers Large Group Award
The employees at Humana have created a group within their company to go beyond the expectations of a 9-5 work day. HumanaShares is a volunteer group supported by the company that brings together associates from all over the Green Bay area.
Since 2007,  HumanaShares has taken on service projects within 29 local non-profit organizations.  The emphasis has been on providing service, and the dollars that HumanaShares can allocate to organizations are very limited.  However, its participants are often so inspired to meet the needs that they see they have gone on to raise over $700,000 trough various efforts to meet a variety of  needs.  HumanaShares is a locally-grown effort.  Although Humana is a large, national company, HumanaShares is unique to northeastern Wisconsin.

Schneider National Foundation Volunteer Leadership Award
iSchneider National is a huge advocate for volunteers, but Jean Vandenlangenberg is the real driving force behind that commitment. Jean has mobilized a team of associates through Schneider’s “Community Connection,” which then moves on to mobilize volunteers throughout the company.  She has been the smiling, enthusiastic, and energizing force behind “Schneider’s big orange heart,” and has connected hundreds of volunteers to last year’s LZ Lambeau event, Paul’s Pantry, Coats for Kids, United Way hygiene drive, CP Telethon, and many more.  She also serves on the Board of Directors of the New Community Shelter.

Humana Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement Award
Part actor and part elder-statesman, Jules Bader was recognized for his dual role within the Volunteer Center of Brown County.  He is a volunteer through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program’s BABES (Beginning Alcohol and Addictions Basic Education Studies).  Using fun, colorful puppets, Jules and other elderly volunteers teach children positive life skills to prevent future substance abuse issues.  This is a significant problem in our area, with Wisconsin having the highest rate of binge drinking in the country.  Bader is also the self-professed “old fart” on the Volunteer Center’s Board of Directors where he brings both a heart of gold, and lifetime of achievement.  A retired social worker, Jules has a unique ability to both direct and encourage others.

A runner-up was also announced in each category.  They were: