Volunteering is a family affair for Kathy Salm, who serves as board president and volunteer donation coordinator for the Center for Suicide Awareness. Her husband, Bob, is the emcee for the agency’s annual suicide awareness walk. Her daughter, Karen, posts items on the agency’s social media sites and Karen’s husband, Justin, designed and maintains the […]
One person dies by suicide every 13 minutes in the United States, according to Barb Bigalke, founder and executive director of the Center for Suicide Awareness. She also points out: Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24, just after traffic accidents. Twenty-two U.S. veterans die every day by […]
RSVP volunteer, Mary Jo Mohr, serves the community because it brings meaning and joy to her life. Among the agencies she volunteers at is Harbor House Domestic Abuse Program, where she helps with its largest fundraiser, the Warrior Princess Mud Run. “Now I want to help in some small way to erase the stigma, and […]
In 2008, Nancy Krueger started the Strong Bones program and taught one class in Waupaca and one class in Hilbert. Today, there are classes in Chilton, Sherwood, Hilbert, New Holstein, Hortonville, Brillion, Waupaca, New London, Iola, Clintonville, Kaukauna and Appleton. “People drove from all over Calumet County to participate in the class I was leading […]
The Volunteer Center’s newest RSVP station has a new program that advocates for people with disabilities who are victims of crime or abuse. Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) is a statewide resource for individuals, families and service professionals who are concerned with disability issues. The agency’s Victim Advocacy Program serves people of all ages who are […]
Helping Latinos who are struggling with communication is one of Tom Stenklyft’s passions. The process brings him back to his roots. His grandparents emigrated from Sweden and in her later years as a widow, his grandmother lived with his family. He recalls her broken English and the difficulty she had with pronouncing the letter “j.” […]
An expert with the Gerontological Society of America regards social isolation as a silent killer because it places people at higher risk for a variety of poor health outcomes. Lenard Kaye, who spoke before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging in April, also reported that more Americans are living in isolation than ever before. […]
Doris Peters doesn’t like to sit home, so on the third Thursday of each month she serves her community by giving folks a ride in her gray 2007 Buick. The 84-year-old Kimberly resident is a volunteer driver for Making The Ride Happen (MRH), a transportation, information and assistance program of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin […]
Working with people and assisting them come naturally for Janie Stevenson, who retired from the healthcare field in August 2014, then joined the RSVP 55+ Volunteer Program. The Appleton resident plays in the bell choir at Memorial Presbyterian Church and volunteers for Lutheran Social Services’ program, Making the Ride Happen. She also volunteers with Limited […]
Spring is a busy time at the Limited Emergency Assistance Valley Ecumenical Network (LEAVEN). The winter moratorium in Wisconsin ended on April 15, so consumers who have outstanding utility bills and haven’t made arrangements for payment can have their utility service disconnected. But families can turn to LEAVEN for assistance. In the case of outstanding […]
