Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month? The Joseph Maley Foundation would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our volunteers – whether they give hours or years of service, we are tremendously grateful for the work and passion that they put into helping serve children of ALL abilities. For this week’s blog post we’d like to introduce Hannah Wleklinski. A sophomore at Zionsville High School, and a Joseph Maley Junior Board member, Hannah has spent much of her free time volunteering with multiple nonprofits and organizations, including the Joseph Maley Foundation. Keep reading to learn why Hannah gives so much of her time to JMF, and why she thinks others should too.
How did you come to find out about the Joseph Maley Foundation?
I found out about the Joseph Maley Foundation from my neighbors, the Kayes, who are involved in the JMF Board of Directors. They knew I was involved in volunteering for the nonprofit, Best Buddies, and they told me that JMF had a similar mission, and I should consider applying to be on the Joseph Maley Foundation’s Junior Board.
How long have you been a member of our Junior Board and what has the experience been like?
This is my second year being on Junior Board, and I’ve enjoyed it a lot. I’ve met a lot of new people through Junior Board, and I’ve been introduced to all the JMF programs. Junior Board has given me lots of opportunities to volunteer and plan events, which is something I enjoy.
You’ve volunteered extensively with JMF, could you list some of the JMF programs, events, camps, etc. that you’ve given your time to?
I’ve volunteered for the Joseph Maley Family Support Summer Sibs Camp, Joseph Maley Fitness adaptive swimming, the Run, Walk, Roll tie-dye tent during packet pick-up, the winter open house, and the Butterfly Ball.
What has been your favorite event or program to volunteer for?
So far, Summer Sibs Camp has been my favorite thing that I’ve volunteered for. I really loved playing and talking with the kids. We did so many fun activities, and you could really see JMF’s mission working in action through the camp.
How would you encourage others, namely your peers, to volunteer with JMF?
I would encourage my peers to volunteer by picking one program that they feel connected to or compassionate about. Start by volunteering for one event/program that sparks your interest and then take it from there. Once you start to get involved with JMF programs, you’ll find more and more things that you want to support.
At the Joseph Maley Foundation we like to ask people to tell us their “Why JMF?” Why they support us, why they put their time, effort, and heart behind our organization. Would you please share your “Why JMF?”
My “Why JMF” is that I support the mission of “serving children of all abilities,” and I see the impact that the Joseph Maley Foundation’s programs have on the community. Through the various programs that I’ve volunteered with, like Joseph Maley Fitness and Joseph Maley Family Support, I have met so many people that have benefited immensely from JMF’s programming. I want to be a small part of the big impact that the Joseph Maley Foundation has on people.