Professional Documents
Culture Documents
f Bl o omington Vo
o
The City presents
g Vo lunteers
2016 Celebratin
Buskirk-Chumley Theater
March 29, 2016
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INTRODUCING the
ers
g Volunte
Nominees
2016 Celebratin
Lindsey Badger
New Leaf - New Life, Inc.
Lindsay Badger works through New Leaf- New Life to help
inmates make the changes in their lives necessary to avoid reof-
fending. Recidivism is a major reason for prison overcrowding,
and many released from prison face serious obstacles in reenter-
ing the community; Lindsays volunteer efforts are aimed at
reducing recidivism by developing inmates self-confidence and
communication skills as well as by reducing the barriers they face. Lindsay teaches I.U. Communica-
tion and Culture Department credit courses in the jails and leads think tank groups to research crimi-
nal justice issues, develop recommendations, and present findings to members of the community
who can act on them. Lindsays actions have life-changing impacts on the students involved in her
classes and bring attention to serious issues the community faces.
Beth Barnett
New Leaf - New Life, Inc.
Beth Barnetts volunteer service has been with the Monroe
County jail since about 2006; she also volunteers with the
Center for Womens Ministries. Beths work is a reflection of her
continuing studies and professional ambitions in suicide pre-
vention and mental health care. At the Monroe County Jail, Beth
orchestrates a writers group that focuses on the joy of storytell-
ing, be it personal or fiction. Beths service is important as it accentuates the need for compassion
in the midst of rebuke. She offers an essential service, teaching healthy communication skills, that if
lacking would contribute to recidivism.
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Marsha Barreiro
People & Animal Learning Services
Marsha Barreiro has volunteered at People & Animal Learning
Services (PALS) for over a decade. During this time, she has
participated in every role available with the utmost passion
and energy, and is truly a blessing to the organization. Marsha
has been a consistently positive influence, taking the time to
get to know all of the staff and a large number of clients, while
working to ensure the PALS facility is clean and in top condition. When not coordinating the efforts of
other volunteers, she is often found sweeping, dusting, and cleaning stalls to ensure the barn looks
immaculate. Her optimism makes an immediate impact, making the PALS volunteer experience that
much nicer for both returning and brand new volunteers. Marsha truly represents the volunteer spirit!
Woodie Bessler
SIREN
Woodie Bessler applies his background in electrical engineering
to helping people in the community understand energy and use
it wisely. As a member of the Monroe County Energy Challenge,
Woodie led the effort to target homes that use the most ener-
gy; documented possible conservation savings; performed free
energy assessments; and helped make an empty house livable
for AmeriCorps Members. As a member of the Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network (SIREN),
Woodie is the author and presenter of the Going Solar program, given over 50 times to approximately
1,000 people. He has also coached MCCSC robotics teams, trained teenagers to weatherize houses,
and visited classrooms. Woodie applies his experience and know-how to assist our community as it
works to reduce its energy consumption to reduce climate change.
Carey Blackmore
Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County
Carey Blackmore has served on Habitat for Humanity of Monroe
Countys Events Committee for three years, and in that time she
has embraced the Habitat mission. This year, she created the de-
sign for the sweatshirts given out to hundreds of volunteers. Carey
creates all Habitat apparel designs, as well as home dedication
schedules and volunteer appreciation gifts, always contribut-
ing her enthusiasm and fresh ideas. Through her designing and planning, she has reached over two
hundred people every year, with volunteers and partner families alike feeling incredibly appreciated.
Without Carey, Habitats Events Committee would not function as effectively, nor would its apparel
and gifts be so beautiful. The time and effort she puts into designing apparel, planning events, and
attending every meeting makes Carey truly remarkable!
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Jose Yamil Adorno Cancel
Bloomington Animal Shelter
Jose Yamil Adorno Cancel cares for and loves the stray and
unwanted animals that are at the Bloomington Animal Shelter.
Jose Yamil, a student at Bloomington High School South, has
helped with their pet adoption program and the foster guardian
program, through which shelter animals reside in temporary
homes. Originally from Puerto Rico, he has excelled in his stud-
ies, earning a spot on the honor roll several times as well as receiving the 2015 City of Bloomington
Outstanding Latino/Hispanic High School Student Award and the Indiana Outstanding Hispanic High
School Student Award. Jose Yamil is committed to volunteering and to animal welfare, and through
his work has impacted hundreds of animals, and served as an example for students in the community.
John Carter
City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department
John Carter has served on the Bloomington Board of Parks
Commissioners for 16 years, where he volunteers his time and
experience to benefit the Parks and Recreation Department and
the Bloomington community. As a Parks Board member, John
contributes to the decision to approve the Parks Departments
budget, approve contracts, acquire or sell land, and much more.
He also serves as a liaison for the nonprofit Bloomington Park Foundation, an organization that raises
funds for projects and scholarships for youth. John has created a precedent of collaboration between
the Department and Monroe County Community School Corporation, oversaw the decisions leading
to the construction of the B-Line Trail, and impacts approximately 80,000 residents of the City of
Bloomington through his dedicated volunteer efforts.
John Davenport
Community Kitchen of Monroe County, Inc.
John Davenport provides extremely valuable services to the
Bloomington community. For twelve years, John has prepared
lunches and snacks for Community Kitchens childrens programs,
dramatically reducing the cost of providing food while ensuring
that children do not go hungry. This enables Community Kitchen
to continue their homebound seniors and homebound HIV patient
programs. John has volunteered for over eleven years, building homes as part of Habitat for Human-
itys general construction group, keeping costs low while growing stronger family and community
ties. During this time, he has also volunteered at the Shalom Center where he helps to meet the
needs of Bloomingtons homeless membersand at his church, where he acts as treasurer and Bible
class instructor. Through his selfless actions, John epitomizes a true philanthropic philosophy.
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Larry Davidson
Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County
Larry Davidson devotes himself to helping those in need
through Habitat for Humanity of Monroe Countys Habitat Hope
program. After discovering that no free money management
programs exist in the Bloomington community for those that do
not qualify for home ownership, Larry helped the Hope program
begin offering these services. Combining his fresh perspective
with a background in economics, he has proven invaluable to the program, completing applicant
intakes and working closely with clients to craft the financial plans they need. Larrys consistent
patience and commitment has allowed for the program to serve six adults and nine children since its
creation in July, and Habitat for Humanity looks forward to serving many more in the future thanks to
his dedicated work.
Rick Dettwiler
WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology
Rick Dettwiler joined the WonderLab volunteer team in 2007,
bringing 15 years of experience in building maintenance, electri-
cal and plumbing knowledge, construction skills, and problem
solving. Over the nine years since he joined, Rick has helped to
keep exhibits running safely and smoothly, allowing WonderLab
to maintain high quality exhibits while researching and devel-
oping new ones. Rick also serves as a WonderLab ambassador, reaching out in the community and
promoting the organization that he works tirelessly to make great. He is known for his dedication,
contagious joy, and can-do attitude. Whatever needs to be done, whether it is overseeing new exhibit
safety, coordinating volunteers, or arriving at creative solutions, Ricks your man!
Nola Donley
Edgewood Junior High School
Nola Donley is a dedicated, creative volunteer, willing to do
whatever is asked. She has assisted in the library/media center
of Ellettsville Junior High School for 39 years, all to better serve
students. She also offers professional photography services to the
Students of the Month, so they can be recognized by their peers,
teachers and the community. Nolas service has kept the media
center running smoothly, especially after reductions-in-force eliminated the librarian position. She
has worked with at least four librarians there, easing the transitions through her deep knowledge of
the school and its services. Many thousands of students have had more choices within the media col-
lection because of her service, which keeps them actively reading and climbing high to meet personal
goals.
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Helen Freeman
Bloomington Hospital Auxiliary/ IU Health Bloomington
Helen Freeman has been delivering flowers for IU Health
Bloomington Hospitals Volunteer & Visitor Services program
for 50 years. For the hospital and for its patients, volunteers
bring joy to those truly in need of tender love and care; Helen
is known for her volunteering, often delivering their mail, tak-
ing time to visit with patients and always bringing homemade
sweets. When she is not volunteering at the hospital, Helen is delivering meals to Bloomingtons se-
nior citizens through the Meals on Wheels program, providing not only food but quality visiting time.
At 95 years old, Helen is an icon in the community, a magnificent role model, and a shining example
of how we could all be!
Michelle Henderson
CUBAmistad
Michelle Henderson is the inspiration behind the art and book
exchange between Bloomington elementary schools and those
in Santa Clara, Bloomingtons Sister City in Cuba. Through this
program, International Baccalaureate designated schools in the
Monroe County Community School Corporation - Templeton,
University, and Childs Elementary Schools - have a unique
avenue to learn about Cuba while creating a sense of community with students from another culture.
Michelle has been instrumental in coordinating this program, working tirelessly to bring it to fruition.
Her dedication is an incredible asset to CUBAmistad, and her ideas, suggestions, and help in imple-
menting new and engaging methods of cross-cultural interaction are invaluable.
Israel Herrera
Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs and WFHB 91.3
Israel Herrera has served on the City of Bloomington Commis-
sion on Hispanic and Latino Affairs for six years. Given the social
exclusion and economic constraints common within the Latino
community, Israel`s work contributes to strengthening this
community, providing services that would otherwise not be
available. He dedicates countless hours to this volunteer work,
through which he has created educational initiatives, proposed state legislation, promoted health
services for Latinos, organized artistic and cultural activities for the community, provided invaluable
information regarding immigration, and created ways to distinguish the volunteer work of children
and leaders in Bloomington. His has strengthened the sense of pride, identity, and social commitment
within the Hispanic-Latino community, making Bloomington a more integrated and just place for all.
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Susan Jones
Bloomington Playwrights Project
Susan Jones serves as the Literary Manager for Bloomington
Playwrights Project (BPP), dedicating her efforts to the organiza-
tions fundraising and mission-related goals. Susans role is es-
sential as she is responsible for coordinating two script contests
that receive over 1,000 script submissions every year from around
the world, supervising a group of twenty, managing the admin-
istration behind BPPs core donors, and managing the silent auction for BPPs Annual Gala. Through
her devoted efforts, BPPs script contests are able to recognize playwrights original and innovative
works, its silent auction raises over $8000 annually, and the community is able to provide opportuni-
ties for hundreds of artists and patrons alike. Susans involvement has not only made a lasting impact
on Bloomington Playwrights Project, but on the Bloomington community itself.
Christiane Jung
My Sisters Closet of Monroe County
Christiane Jung is the volunteer shoe and purse manager at My
Sisters Closet. Since 2014 she has both overseen and trained the
accessory volunteer team and managed the shoe and purse in-
ventory. She is personally responsible for My Sisters Closet giving
away and selling almost $22,000 in shoes and purses last year, a
feat that not only helped ensure the organizations financial suc-
cess in its first year at its new location, but more importantly, the economic success of over 200 clients
interviewing for jobs. Christiane works without fanfare while she mentors volunteers of all ages, and
keeps everyone wanting to go back and be part of her team. My Sisters Closet sincerely appreciates
Christianes boundless energy and warm compassion!
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Wendy Lumsdaine
Middle Way House The Rise
Wendy Lumsdaine is the founder of Middle Way Houses art pro-
gram for girls, providing them with a creative, constructive outlet
fostering creativity and friendship. Her program has created a
safe place for girls to speak freely about their experiences while
expressing themselves through art, and her compassion and love
for them raises their self-esteem in ways that no other program
could. Wendy sought resources to fund this impactful project, applying for grants and providing the
program with a wide selection of books. Through this, Wendy has impacted over a dozen girls, while
also giving 32 families access to reading material through the littlest library component of the pro-
gram. Starting with the goal of changing one childs life, Wendy has touched the lives of many.
Jim Mahan
Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Jim Mahan volunteers as an usher and at volunteer recruitment
fairs for the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Every year, the Theater
hosts over 200 events and serves over 50,000 people, and at any
one of these events, Jim will likely be the usher welcoming pa-
trons and assisting with operations. He is responsible for know-
ing emergency procedures, assisting people in finding their
seats, and making sure that nothing is interfering with the audiences ability to enjoy the show. He
plays an integral part in the Theaters running, as the Buskirk-Chumley relies on volunteers for almost
all events. Jim stands out because of his strong and proactive commitment, always giving 100% to
the theater and those who attend its shows!
Maggie Maier
South Central Community Action Program
Maggie Maier has made a lasting impact in the South Central
Community Action Program (SCCAP) Head Start Program, which
serves children in the Monroe County area. Maggie almost single-
handedly planned SCCAPs Fall Family Fun Night, an event that
hosted 50 families! She also worked to promote the program
within Indiana University and the Bloomington community.
Maggie also volunteered in four classrooms, directly working with around 80 children. As an IU stu-
dent, she encouraged them to achieve academically. Every day, Maggie went to SCCAP with a smile
and upbeat attitude, excited to give back to the families, children, and her community. College is of-
ten a far-fetched dream; when amazing IU students like Maggie volunteer at Head Start, it shows that
college can be an attainable goal.
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Bruce Miller
People & Animal Learning Services
Bruce Miller has been a dedicated People and Animal Learning
Services (PALS) volunteer since 2013. He has participated as
a side walker, horse leader, stable manager, and more during
this time, providing encouragement to all of the clients with
whom he works. His kind nature and sense of humor make him
a perfect fit for the PALS Therapeutic Riding program, focused
on providing for clients with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. Bruces efforts greatly
impact PALS, as he works with an average of 5-8 clients, coordinates 4-10 volunteers, and cares for 11
horses all on a weekly basis! Bruce goes above and beyond, not only through volunteering at PALS,
but also at Meals on Wheels and at a local soup kitchen.
Kathy Morrison
Bloomington Hospital Foundation
Kathy Morrison has annually recruited, trained, and supervised
over four hundred volunteers for the Hoosiers Outrun Cancer 5k
race and walk, directing all volunteers from start to finish. As the
largest 5k in South Central Indiana, the event takes an enormous
amount of planning and coordinating, but Kathy carries out ev-
erything, from promoting the event on the radio, to connecting
community volunteer groups. Without her efforts, the 5k would not have nearly as much impact on its
beneficiaries, the Olcott Cancer Center and the countless patients who visit the center. Kathy possesses
excellent leadership skills and her drive, year after year, makes her a model advocate for the Bloom-
ington Hospital Foundation, the Olcott Cancer Center, and the Bloomington volunteer community.
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Will Northquist
Young Life of Greater Bloomington
Will Northquist builds authentic friendships and mentorships
with Tri-North Middle School students. Dedicating a few hours a
week, Will dives into students worlds as a coach and after-school
club leader. He has volunteered as an assistant cross country
coach and assisted with track meets for two years, and every
other week, Will spends his Friday night creating a safe and fun
environment for students to laugh, share, and listen through his gaming club. Adolescents need
positive role models to encourage them, and Will does just that, reaching into the lives of over 100
students. Will persevered to become a Young Life volunteer at Tri-North Middle School; now students,
parents, teachers, and administrators alike welcome Wills efforts and positive influence!
Cheyenne Powell
Pets Alive Nonprofit Spay/Neuter Clinic
Cheyenne Powells work is essential to the mission of the Pets
Alive Spay/Neuter Clinic. Pets Alive does not have the funding to
hire paid cleaning staff, but needs a sterile work environment to
provide the highest quality care possible to the thousands of ani-
mals it serves. Cheyenne performs most of the tasks to keep the
clinic running, from washing blankets to unloading animals from
the transport truck. Because of Cheyenne, Pets Alive has the ability to perform over 100 surgeries in a
single day, and the organization has served over 30,000 animals since she began volunteering. With
her kindness and bubbling personality, Cheyenne completes some of the hardest work in the clinic,
allowing it to save animals lives every day.
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Liisa Rautio
My Sisters Closet
Lisa Rautio began volunteering at My Sisters Closet when she
moved to Bloomington in October 2014, quickly becoming a
board member and then the organizations treasurer. Bringing
her skills and experience as an accountant, she transitioned My
Sisters Closets bookkeeping and reporting systems to electronic
formats, greatly increasing efficiency and organization. In addi-
tion, she recruits and trains IU Kelley School of Business student interns to assist with accounting and
the transition to digital. Outside of this role, Lisa also volunteers on store projects and assists local
food pantries. Lisas service has not only made My Sisters Closet more digital, but it has also provided
it with the ability to engage with the student community, easily prepare grant applications, and bet-
ter assist women in the community.
Jiren Ren
Middle Way House
Jiren Ren applies his experience in law to Middle Way Houses
Legal Advocacy program. Middle Way monitors about 100 court
cases per month involving abuse, sex crimes, and stalking.
Partnering with Protective Order Assistance Partnership, it also
provides services to individuals who need protective orders. Jiren
dedicates his efforts toward both of these services, affecting at
least 100 people requiring assistance, while also training new volunteers. He provides an invaluable
service, touching lives and making a real difference. Jiren studied at IUs Mauer School of Law. After
graduation, he took the New York Bar exam and passed, but needed to volunteer at least 50 hours
with a pro bono legal service before he could be admitted. He has volunteered about 400 hours and
hasnt stopped yet!
Amy Roche
Bloomington Community Orchard
Amy Roche has contributed countless hours toward making
Bloomington Community Orchard a solid presence in the com-
munity. Over the last five years, she has served as the partner-
ships manager, IU advisor, education team co-chair, events
planner, outreach chair, and board chair. Amy is known for her
focus on community building, environmental sustainability, and
reaching out to those in need. Her passion goes beyond the Orchard; she has made significant vol-
unteer contributions to Habitat for Humanity, Mother Hubbards Cupboard, Hoosier Hills Food Bank,
and many other organizations. Through her leadership, the Orchard has been able to offer sponsored
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educational programming, break attendance records at their annual events, and deepen ties to IU and
the community. Amy is a living, breathing LinkedIn, helping community initiatives synergize through
collaboration.
Kathryn Sandefur
Hannah Center and Hannah House Maternity Home
Kathryn Sandefur has been a dedicated Hannah Center volunteer
for over 20 years. Recently, Kathy has become a member of the
Board of Directors, for which she contributes her insights, leader-
ship and experience. In a crisis center, needs change quickly;
Kathy is known for her ability to adapt to these needs. On any
given day, she may be encouraging a parent, teaching a dental
hygiene class for kids, or strategizing goals with staff. Over her years of service, Kathy has helped the
center serve over 100,000 clients, and has been instrumental in helping the organization grow from
serving 100 families a year to serving 100 a week. Her knowledge and desire for growth is the perfect
blend of respecting the past while embracing the future.
Carrie Shabahrami
Van Buren Township Project Lifesaver
Carrie Shabahrami has worked tirelessly over the last three years
to bring Project Lifesaver to Monroe County. Project Lifesaver
is a national organization that assists caregivers in caring for
their loved ones through individual transmitter bracelets, which
track people at risk for wandering off, including those with
Alzheimers, dementia, autism, and other cognitive conditions.
In 2012, Carries nonverbal autistic five year old daughter, Sophie, became the first Monroe County
Project Lifesaver bracelet recipient, inspiring Carrie to commit herself to expanding the program. Car-
rie has since been relentless in her passion to help others, affecting both those receiving the bracelet
and the families who care for them. Through her efforts, the project has raised $48,000, serves over 40
families, and has saved over 15 lives.
Andrew Simmons
Lotus Education & Arts Foundation
Andrew Simmons has volunteered for the Lotus Festival Streets
Committee for the past five years. He has acted as a liaison with
city authorities, managed equipment outside of venues, and
provided input to street closing plans. This year, Andrew cheer-
fully took on a major role that had previously fallen to staff:
creating and cataloguing Lotus Festival signage for all venues and
tents. Applying his commitment and experience on the Streets Committee, Andrew embraced this
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role, evaluating strategic placements, creating a file system for volunteers, and creating signs used
throughout the festival. Through this, his work impacted thousands and made the Lotus Festival that
much better. He also happily volunteers for Lotus other events, including Lotus Blossoms, making
Andrew an integral part of the Lotus experience.
Mary Strow
VITAL (Volunteers In Tutoring Adult Learners)
Mary Strow volunteers at VITAL (Volunteers in Tutoring Adult
Learners), where she provides one to one tutoring for English
language learners and leads an English conversation group. VITAL
works to help learners not only communicate with others, but
take more active roles in the community, and Mary is a prime
example of the impact the program can make. She has helped
learners obtain their first library cards; helped a young man pass his drivers license exam and, as a
result, keep his job; and enabled many of her students to understand the complex social issues facing
our community, in the English language. Her dedication, combined with her patience and under-
standing, has helped countless learners, and has made a real impact on the Bloomington community.
Jason Tharp
Bloomington Animal Shelter
Jason Tharp has served the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter
for the last five years. As the Volunteer Coordinator Support
Intern, an unpaid position, Jason assists in nearly every aspect of
the Shelters work, including training volunteers and facilitating
adoptions. Over the last five years, he has impacted over 4000
members of the community through adoption counseling. He
also donates his time to raising funds for the shelter through the Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale
(H2H). Over the last two years, Jason and other shelter volunteers have raised over $2500 at H2H.
Jason is a genuine, caring, hard-working and generous person who always finds new ways to improve
the community and those within it, whether they are human or animal.
Shay Upadhyay
WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology
Shay Upadhyay has been volunteering at WonderLab Museum
since she was in the 7th grade, and has been a dedicated volun-
teer ever since. In her four years at WonderLab, Shay has donated
over 600 hours of her time and talent, working in development,
membership, and the volunteer department, the birthday pro-
gram, outreach events, summer enrichment camps, and more!
In her work, Shay interacts with hundreds of visitors in the museum, and during her summer work
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impacted over 120 campers per week for four weeks. Wherever she is volunteering, she is known for
making a positive difference and offering her contagious enthusiasm. Shay stands out not just for
what she does, but how she does it, making her a model for volunteering in Bloomington.
John Warkentin
Hannah Center and Hannah House Maternity Home
John Warkentin has volunteered at Hannah Center for 4-5 hours
a day, 4-5 days a week, for 18 years. The center provides physi-
cal, emotional, educational, and practical support to up to 100
families a week; John has impacted the lives of thousands of
clients, while saving the center a great deal of money. Because of
Johns level of commitment and faithfulness, the center has been
able to employ a prenatal, childbirth and education teaching employee for nearly two decades. When
he started volunteering, after his retirement as an engineer, John learned to navigate the financial
logistics of a major capital campaign while handling operational, longer-term capital, and shorter
term designated donor accounts. During his service, Hannah Center has consistently received excellent
evaluations by independent accounting auditors.
David White
South Central Community Action Program
David White is known in Bloomington for his tireless volunteer
work, both for the South Central Community Action Program
and for over half a dozen other organizations. Over the last 11
years, David has produced and distributed Safety Net, a newspa-
per which supports organizations working with people in pov-
erty and lends a voice to people in need. He is also a committed
volunteer for Thriving Connections, which supports low-income families working to escape poverty.
David has been a founder of New Leaf-New Life, a volunteer who helps homeless people find employ-
ment, a Shalom Center board member, an Interfaith Winter Shelter volunteer, and more. David cares
deeply about people, and consistently does all he can to support and empower those facing difficult
circumstances.
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Cry of the Children, Inc
Cry of the Children serves hundreds of people every year in
several capacities, including tutoring, literacy, step dancing and
through its annual Thanksgiving meal, during which volunteers
prepare and serve food to over 150 community members who
are homeless or in poverty, all in a warm, safe environment. The
organization breaks down stereotypes and incorporates commu-
nity involvement from businesses, civic groups, churches, student
groups and other social service organizations. Cry of the Children will celebrate its 10 year anniversary
this year - a decade of serving those in need and making Bloomington a stronger community in the
process.
Hope Builders
New Hope Family Shelter
New Hope Builders remodel and maintain the row of houses
leased by IU Health to New Hope for Families, which provides
child care, programming, and emergency shelter to homeless
families. Three properties have been completed; the fourth is
rapidly being transformed from a vacant house into space for
infant, toddler and child programming. The Hope Builders make
a real impact on the 314 school-aged children who are homeless in Monroe County. Over the last four
years, they have provided shelter to nearly 90 families. This group is amazing! Working tirelessly to
remodel each of the houses, they contribute needed skill sets and countless hours to give families
with the greatest needs in our community not only shelter, but love and support.
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ICEY (Interfaith Community of
Environmentalist Youth)
The Interfaith Community of Environmentalist Youth ICEY - is
run completely by teens and aims to reduce humanitys negative
impact on the climate by educating and involving our community
in the fight to save the planet. Their trainings, actions and advo-
cacy have affected hundreds of youth and adults. Seeing these
teens in action inspires their peers, younger children and adults
alike. On top of homework, extracurriculars, and jobs, these young adults devote long hours to seeing
large and remarkable events into being. Deeply committed to making a difference, they put their all
into this work and lead with humor and grace.
ICEY embodies what we hope for from the next generation. Not even out of high school, these kids are
becoming adept and articulate leaders.
The Unknown Volunteer
The unknown volunteers are the spouses and family members
who support their loved ones who commit themselves to volun-
teer service. They dont complain about our passion for volun-
teerism. They dont complain about the many hours we spend
on volunteer activities. They dont complain about the fuel cost
as we drive miles to volunteer. They dont complain when we
have to arrange vacations around our volunteer activities. They
dont question when our volunteer tasks demand financial contributions. Without their total support,
perhaps we would not be able to carry on our commitments to serve our great and magnificent com-
munity, which they also totally love and respect. These many spouses and family members are the
unknown volunteers in service to the community. (Submitted by Amal Altoma)
Indiana K-9 Search Specialists
Indiana K9 Search Specialists is a volunteer search and rescue
group made of experienced K-9 handlers who have worked
together serving the community for 13 years and as a formal
group for the last five years. Working with law enforcement, the
group works to find lost and missing persons, contributing the
experience its members have in law enforcement, firefighting,
and paramedicine. When not actively dedicating its resources to
searches, it puts on educational demonstrations for schools, law enforcement, and civic groups in the
community, making police aware of available resources, training those interested, and providing safe-
ty instruction to the public. Search and rescue affects an entire community; when a loved one is found
safe, the family is relieved, but the community as a whole is reassured that police have resources that
are dedicated, trained, and available to assist in an incredibly important way.
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IU Art Museum Docents
Indiana University Art Museum
The Indiana University Art Museum docents - volunteer tour
guides - are extremely creative and represent a broad spectrum
of the Bloomington and university communities. These 65 do-
cents give tours to roughly 17,500 visitors annually, ranging from
toddlers to seniors. They are also the principle staff members
who meet, greet, and educate museum visitors. Each docent
offers about 500 hours in service to the IU Art Museum annually. Due to their service, the museum
is able to serve large and growing numbers of visitors. The fabric and function of the museums edu-
cational mission rests assuredly on the docents shoulders. Their level of dedication and the number
of people they serve is phenomenal, especially when compared to other docent groups across the
nation.
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feels supported with a plan moving forward. This support can mean everything to survivors, as it of-
fers them a vital and true sense of choice as they move forward.
Net Impact IU
Habitat for Humanity
Focused on education, service, and advocacy related to environ-
mental practices and corporate social responsibility, Net Impact
engages in service projects throughout the academic year. From
building a house with Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County
to leading IU Athletics Zero-Waste Station education, Net Impact
members have served 300 hours in the Bloomington community.
The IU chapter was recently nominated for Net Impact Undergraduate Chapter of the Year. A standout
amongst the 84 active collegiate chapters in the U.S., the Indiana University chapter is dedicated to
involving its largest incoming membership class in making environmental and social change across
campus and around the globe. Net Impact is one organization amongst many, working to make real
impact, locally and globally.
Peske Family
Hoosier Hills Food Bank
Every Wednesday from 5:30 7 p.m., Tom, Chrissy, Alex, and
Amy Peske assist Hoosier Hills Food Bank by repackaging pre-
pared food from donors that would otherwise be wasted. This
Meal Share Repack program food is then distributed to families
in need. The Peske Family was particularly helpful to the Food
Bank when their Meal Share Repack coordinator had to discon-
tinue working there. The Peske family stepped up to offer their assistance, which was nothing short
of awesome! In addition to being hard-working and committed, they are lead Meal Share Repack
volunteers, training incoming volunteers to be efficient and safety-conscious, while keeping the at-
mosphere fun and lively.
Happy National
Volunteer Month (April 2016) and
thank you for being a part of the Bloomington
Volunteer Network! Because of your volun-
teerism, you have created lasting change in
Bloomington and Monroe County and made
a meaningful difference in our community!
What is a Bicentennial Project?
Indianas 2016 Bicentennial celebration aims to honor our
states 200 years of history, and to do so in a modern way
that engages all 6.5 million
Hoosiers and leaves a lasting
legacy for future generations.
The 2016 Be More Awards
are an Indiana Bicentennial
Legacy Project honoring our
states 200 years of history.
www.Indiana2016.org.
Reception Entertainment
Kade Puckett, Guitar