United Way of
 Bemidji Area


 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 




 

 

 


 

 
 


"Inspire by Example" Volunteer Recognition

In its 22nd year, the Bemidji Volunteer Directors and the United Way of Bemidji Area look forward to recognizing outstanding adults, youths and groups/families who dedicate their time and talents to enhance lives and strengthen the Bemidji community. 

If you know of a deserving volunteer, please nominate them today.  The deadline is March 14.

Volunteer of the Year nomination form doc. or .pdf
 

Youth Volunteer of the Year nomination form .doc or .pdf
 

Group/Family Volunteer of the Year nomination form .doc or .pdf


Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism nomination form .doc or .pdf



Congratulations to the 2010 volunteers!

Special thanks to our 2010 selection committee: 
Jenny Day, Sue Engel and Di Pickett
 


2010 Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism
ANN DALEY

Nominated by:  Ardis Lucken, Jesica Conrad,
Diane Engel, Deb Heineman

Ann Daley has been honored with the 2010 Bemidji “Inspire by Example” Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism award for her over 30 years of volunteering in the Bemidji community.

In 1978, Ann began working as a certified diabetes educator and was facilitating an “I Can Cope” cancer support group. One of the participants ordered a “How to Start a Hospice” manual, presented it to Ann saying, “Here, we need hospice in this community.”  Ann helped to establish the current hospice program, serving on the original steering committee and later on the Board of Directors, and was a patient care volunteer.  “Ann Daley is truly the ‘Queen of Hospice,’ for without her charisma, charm, and connections with others in the health care community this might not have happened in 1980. She has truly worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for people in many ways,” states Jesica Conrad, Assistant Director of North Country Hospice.

Ann has been a part of the RSVP/America Reads program for the past 9 years.  She is a guest reader volunteering in Paul Daman’s 4th grade classroom at Northern Elementary School and has in the past read to 2nd graders.  Ann, with the help of the students, chooses the books, reads to the class, and then engages the children in discussion afterwards.  Daman states, “I have had the pleasure of getting to know Ann these past few years. She has volunteered as a reader and singer in our classroom for many moons. More than this, she has served as a friend and community liaison to me and as a role model grandparent to many of our children. If you are fortunate enough to know Ann, you are blessed. We consider ourselves just that!”  Ardis Lucken, coordinator for the America Reads program agrees, “I feel privileged to have her with RSVP and to know her on a personal level.  Ann is one of my best recruiters – she tells her friends about my program and how much she enjoys it.  Ann, and volunteers like Ann, is what makes a program successful.”

For the Paul Bunyan Senior Activity Center, Ann served on the Board of Directors from 1999 – 2008, serving as President for 5 of those years and currently writes a monthly Primetime column in the Bemidji Pioneer on behalf of the Center.  “Her influences and the people she knows in the community help her get things done.  She is a very determined lady when she sees a worthy cause,” says Diane Engel, Paul Bunyan Senior Activity Center Director.  “Ann is a dedicated leader who knows the vision of the Senior Center, knows how to get there and leads the way.  She is passionate about the Senior Center’s success.”

Ann also volunteers at Neilson Place, serving on their Resident Care Council, conducting worship services once a month as well as sharing her love of music and talent for singing by playing for the residents on an on-going basis.  Ann has served on the Northwoods Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers and Adult Day Services Board of Directors and recently joined the United Way of Bemidji Area’s Board. 

Ann served as the volunteer coordinator for the Bemidji Community Food Shelf for 2 years, coordinating volunteers from member churches and the community as a whole.  She worked closely with the Food Shelf Board and was a member of the Executive Board.  She kept track of multiple food drives and fundraisers benefiting the food shelf, all while directing the day to day operations of the Food Shelf.  According to Deb Heineman, secretary of the Food Shelf, “She worked tirelessly during her term for, and on behalf of, the Food Shelf and the hungry in our community.” 

 

 

2010 Volunteer of the Year
TAMMY WALDHAUSEN

Nominated by:  Kim Zimmerman

Tammy Waldhausen has been named Bemidji’s “Inspire by Example” Volunteer of the Year for her dedication of time and volunteer services she offers the Sexual Assault Program of Beltrami, Cass, and Hubbard Counties and other community organizations; her compassion for the victims who call at all hours of the day and night; and, her willingness to go above and beyond to support the Sexual Assault Program mission.

For the Sexual Assault Program of Beltrami, Cass, and Hubbard counties, Tammy has been a sexual assault advocate for two years where she educates victims about their rights and provides support to them.  In 2009 she logged 721 volunteer hours, most of which were weekend hours, the hardest hours to fill, which gives staff a much needed break.  Waldhausen takes calls on the crisis line, goes to the hospital or law enforcement agency and meets with people one on one. 

Kim Zimmerman, Volunteer Coordinator for the Sexual Assault Program of Beltrami, Cass, and Hubbard counties says this of Waldhausen, “Tammy gives up her weekends and a good night’s sleep to hear the horrors of the world that exist in secrecy to help those in need.  She truly makes a difference for each caller by helping guide him/her from victim to survivor.  Her volunteer history speaks for itself as far as dedication, leadership, and EXTRAORDINARY service!  She is someone we are deeply proud to have in our organization and community.  We get compliments about her all the time.  She should be an inspiration to all that we should and can give back.”

Besides her volunteer work at the Sexual Assault Program, Tammy serves on the Headwaters Alliance for Suicide Prevention which helps educate and bring forth awareness of the importance of suicide intervention and prevention.  She helped implement the 2009 5K Walk/Run for Suicide Awareness and is the co-facilitator of the Headwaters Suicide Survivors Support Group.  She has met with Minnesota legislators in St. Paul to advocate for suicide prevention programs that are badly needed in Beltrami County.

She is a past member of the Special Education Advisory Committee for the Bemidji School District where she helped to implement a summer program for children with special needs and has served as Vice-President of ARC Headwaters, a non-profit that offers advocacy and support for children and adults with disabilities.  She also served on a Parent Advisory Council for Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) by being a liaison for parents who participate in the program.

Tammy also serves on the Beltrami Child Abuse Prevention Council, which advocates for child abuse awareness and prevention; has served as Vice-President of the BSU Social Work Club, coordinating fundraising events and facilitating meetings; founded and facilitates a mother/daughter group called Empowerment Circle which focuses on strengthening the mother/daughter relationships through civic engagement, volunteering, and education on topics such as self-defense, stress management, peer pressure, sexual abuse, and healthy relationships; and has been a religious formation teacher at her church as well as volunteering in her children’s schools.

 

2010 Volunteer Group of the Year
SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAM -
VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES
Nominated by:  Kim Zimmerman

The Sexual Assault Volunteer Advocates:
Fay Yochum, Mike Zimmerman, Lisa Sandretzky, Cheyenne Velazquez, Jenna Pulkrabek, Brenda Kolling, Beka Majava, Jayne Hanson, Breanna Priebe, Tammy Waldhausen, Katie Haugan, Susan Yerhot, Rhonda Conn, Maggie Robins, Heidi Johnson, Nicole Weber, Brooke Knisley, Annie Poole, Brittany Freed, Valerie Benjamin, Mary Harding, Kay Martinson, and Trista Knoll are being recognized as Bemidji’s “Inspire by Example” Volunteer Group of the Year for their time, support and inspirational dedication in being available at the times when sexual assault victims and survivors need support and for lending a hand when the Sexual Assault Program needs extra help with day to day operations.

In 2009, this outstanding group of volunteers logged 10,035 hours of volunteer time on the Crisis Line, being available after hours to take calls from victims/survivors who have questions or need help to make it through the night.  The Sexual Assault Program receives a high percentage of “bad moment” calls in the middle of the night when the nightmares take over, victims feel alone, and it feels like nobody cares.  It is these volunteer advocates who give each caller the much needed lifeline to sanity and healing.

Volunteer advocates may be called to the ER at a moment’s notice to help someone navigate the unknown experience of a rape exam and to provide all necessary information to make decisions that are right for each individual need.  The volunteers may continue to meet with the victims/survivors on an on-going basis helping to following up with hospital staff or going with them on referrals for support.  If the victim chooses to report and have the case go through the judicial system, volunteers will go to court with or on behalf of the victim to keep them informed of the process.

Combined, this group of volunteers has over 65 years of experience, with two of the volunteers being with the program for more than 10 years.  Kim Zimmerman, Volunteer Coordinator for the Sexual Assault Program, relies heavily on these volunteers.  “Sometimes victims/survivors get through the night just knowing there is someone out there waiting for a call; even if the volunteer doesn’t receive any calls that night they help hundreds of victims/survivors by just being available. Imagine what goes through the mind of the volunteer when the phone does rings – they know the nature of the call but that does not prepare one for the details.  It could be as simple as a parent asking what behavior is age appropriate for their child or something as terrible as a gang rape.  They hold the person’s spirit in their hands.  What they do and say makes a difference for that caller and starts the caller on the process of moving from victim to survivor.”

Volunteers also go to a chemical dependency treatment facility to meet with survivors who are dealing with their chemical addictions.  Zimmerman states, “For many victims chemical use is the only way to escape the pain of the abuse.  While in treatment their drug of choice is taken away and the raw pain of the abuse emerges.  Our advocates assist the survivor to make sense of the pain and see the correlation between their substance abuse/addiction and their sexual abuse.”

In 2009, volunteers logged an additional 827 hours doing community education to groups, schools, and at information booths; training volunteers; and answering the office phones to assist the Sexual Assault Program staff.  These volunteers are committed to helping cover the gap in staff caused by budget cuts

2010 Volunteer Youth of the Year
MYA DOCKENDORF
Nominated by:  Kari Knudson

Mya Dockendorf has been named Bemidji’s “Inspire by Example” Volunteer Youth of the Year for her dedication of time and volunteer services she offers North Country Regional Hospital.

Mya volunteers twice a week at the North Country Regional Hospital East information desk.  As a part of her volunteer duties, Mya provides patient information to visitors and clergy, gives directions to visitors, and escorts visitors to various locations in the hospital.  Mya delivers flowers and packages to patients and works on a variety of other clerical projects.

Kari Knudson, the Volunteer Director at North Country Regional Hospital, has this to say about Mya, “Over the course of the last two years Mya has grown as a person.  She started as a shy girl and has developed into a confident young person.  As Mya has become more comfortable at North Country Regional Hospital, she has asked for additional responsibilities.” 

In addition to her East Desk duties, Mya now monitors the hospital’s Dignity Closet, a program of the hospital that provides patients whose clothing has been soiled or ruined, with clothes to go home in.  Mya stocks the closet, inventories items, and then orders more clothing when needed.  She also organizes and compiles the “We Care’ receipts the hospital collects as a fundraiser.

Mya is a sophomore at Bemidji High School and also is active at St. Philips Church and in the 4H.

 

2010 Volunteer Family of the Year
WALTERS

Nominated by:  Susan Hazard and Tracy Williams

 

Mike and Ruth Walters, along with their children Keegan, age 11, and Ellen, age 8, have been named the 2010 Bemidji “Inspire by Example” Volunteer Family of the Year.  The Walters are being recognized for their spirit of volunteerism they offer many organizations in the Bemidji community and for showing the importance of parents getting their children involved to better the community.  The Walters Family was nominated by Tracy Williams and Susan Hazard, Ruth’s co-workers at Pinnacle Publishing. 

For the past thirteen years, Ruth has played an instrumental role volunteering her time answering phones during the Radio-thon to End Child Abuse.  In addition, Ruth has raised nearly $5000 for the cause by leading fundraising events with her co-workers at Pinnacle Publishing.

Ruth has been a Girl Scout leader for two years and has helped her son’s Cub Scout troop for the past six years.  She is a strong supporter of Headwaters Science Center, assisting with program advertising and fundraising.  An active volunteer with the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wilton, she serves as the Youth Religious Coordinator, creates weekly church bulletins and helps with church fundraisers.  Ruth is a leader for TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly,) has organized a group of volunteers to answer phones for Lakeland Public TV’s membership drives for the past 5 years, and has helped with the Special Olympics Track and Field event.  “Ruth exemplifies the definition of a volunteer.  Whether it is the demands of a parent volunteer for her children’s activities, or helping with one of the many causes she believes in, Ruth is always one of the people you can count on to help,” states Williams and Hazard.

The children, Keegan and Ellen, accompany Ruth on numerous activities and enjoy helping out whenever asked.  Last summer, Keegan and Ellen helped Ruth plant the Girl Scout planter at the waterfront and went every Friday to weed and maintain the box.   They painted fish for Headwaters Science Center to raise money for the new aquarium and posed for the Science Center’s new brochure.  Like their mother, they enjoy volunteering their time and talents at church.  They help clean dishes and serve at the Sacred Heart Church Fall dinner, they assisted with games at the Halloween party, and they helped serve at the food booth at the Clearwater County Fair in Bagley.  Ruth hopes to instill a life-long love of volunteering in her children, “In a few years I hope Keegan and Ellen will find an organization or cause they are passionate about and volunteer. I hope I am raising a 3rd generation of volunteers.”

While Mike’s work schedule makes it more difficult to volunteer with the family, he provides a lot of support at home.  Ruth states, “We could never accomplish what we do without him.”  Mike has helped with the mulching at the Girl Scout planter, helps to sort Girl Scout cookies, assists Keegan with his Cub Scout activities, and helps Ruth prepare for projects at home.

 

 

 

Congratulations to the 2009 volunteers!

2009 Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism
STEVE INKEL
Nominated by:  Erin Jalloh

 

2009 Family Volunteer of the Year
SCHRADER FAMILY

Nominated by:  Capt. Robin Helgager

2009 Group Volunteer of the Year
NORTH COUNTRY HOSPICE

Volunteers: Pat Lindseth, Margaret Griebel, Elaine Christensen, Mary Melchoir and Judy Lee
Nominated by:  Kay Udey

2009 Youth Volunteer of the Year
BEAU BRAUN
Nominated by:  Capt. Robin Helgage

2009 Volunteer of the Year
P
HYLLIS "P.J." CASINELLI

Nominated by: 
Steven Strassuer