Valley Volunteers 2022

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Volunteers VALLEY

A supplement to the

March 9, 2022

Young, old step up to the plate Hole Food Rescue volunteers love the mission and the flexibility. See page 8.

PHOTOS BY BRADLY J. BONER AND KATHRYN ZIESIG


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Keeping each other safe and nourished H elping our neighbors isn’t a new idea, and it’s not unique to Jackson Hole. But volunteerism is one of the keys to a tight-knit community, and it helps Jackson feel more like a home than a resort. As Kate Ready explains in her Meals on Wheels feature, human connection is something humans are hungry for as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year. Primarily through volunteer power, One22’s Jackson Food Cupboard is also feeding residents, as Timothy Woods writes, despite the flooding this winter of its main location on Glenwood Street. And feeding one another is such a powerful motivator that people of all ages are lining up to do it. Hole Food Rescue has pioneered a model of short, simple volunteer shifts that are so flexible and appealing the nonprofit never is short of help, Billy Arnold writes. More than 50 years separate the eldest and youngest helpers motivated to reduce food waste. Safety is another basic need that people have stepped up to the plate to ensure. Read about Teton County

Thank you to our many volunteers, who allowed One22 Resource Center to serve more than 2,300 individuals in our community in 2021.

2,332

Total number of volunteer hours worked

150

Special supplement written and produced by the Jackson Hole News&Guide

Total number of volunteers

Publisher: Kevin Olson Associate Publisher: Adam Meyer Editor in Chief: Johanna Love Managing Editor: Rebecca Huntington Hole Health Editor: Evan Robinson-Johnson Layout and Design: Andy Edwards, Samantha Nock Photographers: Bradly J. Boner, Kathryn Ziesig, Reed Mattison Copy Editors: Jennifer Dorsey, Mark Huffman, Addie Henderson Writers: Billy Arnold, Sophia Boyd-Fliegel, Jennifer Dorsey, Kate Ready, Evan Robinson-Johnson, Timothy J. Woods

2021 VOLUNTEERS AND VOLUNTEER GROUPS Marilyn Andersen Tevin Beckford Anna Bennett Stephanie Brennan Molly Breslin Amy Brooks Susan Kelly Burkitt Daniel Butcher Lisa Carlin David Carpenter Central Wyoming College Culinary Program Students Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Missionaries Liz Collins Janelle Conlin Mike Conlin Cindy Corona Daniel Cortez Kevin Crawley Jeff Drew Laura Edelman Andrea Evans Karin Finlay Ellie Finnegan Sara Flitner First Interstate Bank Employees Gemma Ford Cathy French Andrea Gomez Oxman Matt Hall David Hardie Leslye Hardie Bob Hartman Bruce Hawtin Holly Hunter Dick Jaquith Ian Johnston Laura Johnston Scott Johnston Robert Kass

Search and Rescue’s tight-knit team and how team members check in on one another’s mental health as they perform their mission. Sophia Boyd-Fliegel talks to rescuers who have been on the team for years and others who have just joined. At Community Safety Network, volunteers help connect people with resources when they are facing dangerous situations, Kate Ready writes. Jennifer Dorsey profiles a couple that News&Guide editors chose from community nominations as this year’s “Super Volunteers.” Livein forest caretakers Bill Baehr and Sandy Cabral help keep campers and the Bridger-Teton National Forest protected. And donating blood is one selfless way we can give of ourselves to help those in need. Evan Robinson-Johnson writes about a young volunteer who dreams of becoming a surgeon one day. This section is a highlight of the newspaper each spring, celebrating those who donate their time to serve the community, keeping each other safe and fed. — Johanna Love

Mark Kelleher Stacey Kelly Andrew Klein Jane LaJohn Lindsey Lanham Heidi Leeds Paige MacLeod Madailein McLaughlin Julie Mclaurin Megan Morris Anne Motlow James Neishabouri Jackson Neishabouri Jayne Ottman Cathy Poindexter Andrea Ramos-Pyne Mike Randall Kerri Ratcliffe Ben Read Mark Roche Catherine Rogers Lily Roth Monica Ruiz Jessica Rae Schermerhorn Claudia Schrotz Michael Schrotz Scouting for Food/Scouts of America Volunteers Margot Snowdon Max Sommer Rose Spaulding Alyson Spery St. John’s Episcopal Church Staff Patty Staley Liz Sunshine Kathryn Turner Kate Vaughn Paul Vogelheim Nancy Watkins Missy Whelan Jeff Willemain Ben Williamson

Advertising Sales: Karen Brennan, Katie Brierly, Tom Hall, Megan LaTorre Advertising Coordinator: Tatum Biciolis Creative Director: Sarah Wilson Advertising Design: Lydia Redzich, Luis F. Ortiz, Chelsea Robinson, Heather Haseltine Production Manager: Chuck Pate Pre-press Supervisor: Lewis Haddock Press Supervisor: Dale Fjedsted Pressmen: Steve Livingston, Nick Hoskins, Robert Heward Customer Service Managers: Lucia Perez, Rudy Perez Circulation Supervisor: Jayann Carlisle 2022 Teton Media Works Jackson Hole News&Guide P.O. Box 7445, 1225 Maple Way. Jackson, WY 83002 Phone: 307-733-2047; Fax: 307-733-2138, Web: JHNewsAndGuide.com

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Call 307.733.2047 if you need assistance.


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REED MATTISON / NEWS&GUIDE PHOTOS

Volunteer Colleen Thompson, a Meals on Wheels volunteer for the Senior Center of Jackson Hole, has lived in Jackson for over 40 years. “I love seniors,” she said. Thompson has developed meaningful relationships that drive her volunteering. She said it feels good to be there for people. The Senior Center prepares up to 60 meals a day to deliver to seniors in the community. Volunteers are the integral piece to get warm meals from the kitchen to the table.

Meals on Wheels delivers connections Nearly 100 volunteers are on call to bring meals, newspapers, a friendly face to homebound folks.

How to get involved The Meals on Wheels volunteer staff is currently full. However, Volunteer Coordinator Hannah Sell will keep your information on file should openings arise. Contact Hannah at info@seniorcenterjh.org or 733-7300. To explore volunteer opportunities in tutoring, customer service or the free food table, visit SeniorCenterJH.org.volunteer.

By Kate Ready

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alentine’s Day at the Senior Center is a heartwarming sight. Candy bowls, hearts and red roses abound at the reception desk, in the dining room and on top of packaged meals ready for the morning’s Meals on Wheels delivery. Down a hallway off the dining room, where Olympic ice skating is playing to a few seniors at round tables, is the kitchen. This is where Lourdes Santiago, the bustling Meals on Wheels coordinator, is organizing the meals. “I start every morning around a quarter to 8,” Santiago said. “I was in travel and hospitality for 35 years and then was laid off due to COVID. I wanted a stable job since I’m taking care of my granddaughter, and I love it. I love the volunteers I deal with on a daily basis.” Santiago counts and organizes the meals, which are delivered Monday through Friday and include breakfast and lunch options. Around 10 to 12 coolers and hot boxes sit on the aluminum counter today, complete with allergy restrictions and delivery directions. Along with the 75 to 100 Meals on Wheels volunteers, Santiago also works closely with the home care staff at the center to check up on people regularly and schedule wellness checks when needed. “It’s like a family here,” she said. “Some of our clients aren’t able to cook anymore. Some had surgery, so they need meals delivered temporarily. Some have some cognitive issues due to aging. ... They all qualify through the state.” The menu offers a hot lunch option and brown bag breakfast options Monday through Friday. Frozen meals are available for weekends and holidays. Volunteers deliver meals all over the valley including the Wilson area, north of town and Hoback Junction.

Thompson drops off a meal and and a newspaper to Robert Fulton. He catches Thompson up on his morning before she wheels around the block to her next delivery. The volunteers and their clients enjoy chatting. “It is a connection,” said Lourdes Santiago, program coordinator.

Each weekday the volunteers arrive around 11:30 a.m., but today is special. Today each volunteer is given a small bouquet of red roses to give to their clients. The coolers and hot boxes also have colorful handmade Valentine’s Day cards, courtesy of Girls Actively Participating, a local organization made up of elementary and middle schoolers. “Hoping your winter is full of love and light!” one bedazzled card reads. Marion Cadol is one of the first volunteers to arrive. She’s been volunteering since 1987. Her friend Jean Day, then the director of the Senior Center, roped her in to helping. “It’s a nice way to serve and give back to the community,” Cadol said. “I’ve worked many part-time jobs, so I had the extra time and I enjoy it.” The daily meals are prepared by chef Armando Perfecto, though they are approved by the state. Today it’s a protein, a pasta, vegetables, a salad, milk and bread, a dependable formula. “No milk for this person,” Santiago advises one volunteer. “Don’t forget to

place this in her refrigerator!” she says to another. Nancy Gardiner, the second volunteer to load up her car and set off on her route, said her motivation for delivering meals was inspired by the pandemic. “I wanted to do something during the pandemic,” Gardiner said. “My favorite part is seeing the people; they are always so happy and grateful.” Ben Read is the next volunteer to arrive, sliding his cross-country skis out of the way in his vehicle to make room for the coolers. Santiago called Read at the last minute for help when no one was available to cover the Wilson route. Read and his wife are both Meals on Wheels volunteers. “I’ve volunteered for one to two years now,” Read said. “I stopped my tree care business five years ago and was looking to fill my time. The people who live here are so interesting; I really enjoy chatting with people. One of the women I deliver to, Mugs, regales me with stories. She used to work with Betty Woolsey, an Olympian in the ’30s. So I get to hear

about the early days of downhill skiing.” For both the volunteers and senior clients, one element is common: the enjoyment of chatting with each other. And those receiving meals may see a familiar face at the door: Teton County and Prosecuting Attorney Erin Weisman. Weisman makes time in her lunch hour to volunteer. “In 2018, I signed up to help with a Spring Cleaning at the Senior Center when I learned they were in desperate need of Meals on Wheels volunteers,” Weisman said. “I signed up and have been devoting time over my lunch hour as often as I can, typically two to three times a month.” She enjoys the conversations. “For the individual receiving the meal, I realize I may be the only person they see or chat with for the whole day,” she said. “And we all need and crave human interaction.” Valentine’s Day was the first day the dining room opened back up at the Senior Center since the pandemic began. Seniors can now dine in for daily meals or opt for contactless pickup. Perhaps with those in-person restrictions lifting, the pathway the meals provide to something more deeply nourishing, like connection, will also resume. Contact Kate Ready at 732-7076 or kready@jhnewsandguide.com.


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Camp ambassadors protect landscape Bill Baehr and Sandy Cabral go the extra mile for the Bridger-Teton and its visitors.

How to get involved

By Jennifer Dorsey

The Bridger-Teton ambassador ranks will grow this coming summer. In 2021, besides Bill Baehr and Sandy Cabral at Toppings Lake/Spread Creek there were two ambassadors each last summer at the Philips Ridge/Teton Pass, Shadow Mountain and Curtis Canyon areas, plus two wildlife ambassadors at Togwotee Pass, said Scott Kosiba of Friends of the Bridger-Teton. In addition, two ambassadors helped maintain four vault toilets on Bridger-Teton land in Teton County. Two toilets, at Shadow Mountain and Toppings, were purchased and newly installed by the Friends organization. Two others, on Old Pass Road and at Cache Creek, were purchased by Friends of Pathways, he said. For summer 2022 the goal is to have around 45 ambassadors, not all of them working full time, in a variety of roles, including bear/wildlife, visitor information/interpretation, wilderness/ trailhead, GIS/data and wildfire prevention. New locations are being added in busy trail areas and heavy-use dispersed camping areas. Among the new locations are Mosquito Creek/Fall Creek Road; Lower Gros Ventre Road/ Slide Lake/Wedding Tree; Upper Gros Ventre Road/Goosewing Guardstation; and Granite Creek. People interested in participating can contact Friends of the Bridger-Teton at info@btfriends.org or scott@btfriends.org.

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ou’d probably be hearing more about wildfires and trouble between people and bears on the Bridger-Teton National Forest if it weren’t for Bill Baehr and Sandy Cabral, the News&Guides’ Super Volunteers of 2022. The Bridger-Teton ambassadors for the Toppings Lake/ Spread Creek areas patrol campsites and douse unattended campfires, as many as five a day. They make sure visitors store food so bruins can’t get at it and lend bear spray to people who forget to bring some. “There’s no question that they help prevent wildfires,” said Linda Merigliano, wilderness and recreation manager. “There’s no question in our minds they’ve helped prevent injury — we’ve had quite a few bears wandering through these campsites.” Cabral and Baehr find it rewarding to do their bit to safeguard wildlife and the environment and to be a resource for stretched-thin Bridger-Teton personnel. Their volunteerism isn’t solely about rules like camping only in designated sites and leaving after five days. They’re ready to lend a hand any way they can. “I like helping people,” Baehr said. The couple, speaking via Zoom from Maxwell, California, recalled a solo motorcyclist who felt nervous about sleeping outside alone. So she’d feel safe, they invited her to set up near their 30-foot travel trailer in the Toppings area. They live there mid-May through early fall, along with Winston, a miniature schnauzer who’s proved to be an ice breaker. Another time, the ambassadors met a couple who were sleeping in their vehicle and leaving their cooler outside, an unintended welcome wagon for bruins. “They didn’t feel comfortable sleeping on the ground because they were worried about the grizzly bears,” Cabral said. “So I let them put their ice chest in the back of my Suburban. ... And they were so appreciative. They left us a wonderful note.” Baehr’s and Cabral’s dedication, kindness and willingness to go the extra mile were noted by Merigliano and others who nominated them as Super Volunteers. “The one thing I really admire about Bill and Sandy is that they have taken personal ownership,” said Scott

BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE FILE

Bill Baehr and Sandy Cabral are camp ambassadors for the BridgerTeton, patrolling the Toppings Lake and Spread Creek campsites. They treat the area like it’s their backyard, one of the nominators said.

Kosiba, executive director of the nonprofit Friends of the Bridger-Teton. “They share a personal investment in the Toppings and Spread Creek areas. They treat that as their home, as their backyard. “They come to visitors as neighbors and as people who care about that more than just as a volunteer or someone working for a land management agency.” The ambassadors are helping create a population of smarter, happier campers, he said. ‘People who are coming and communicating with them are leaving having had a better experience recreating on public lands,” Kosiba said. “They have a

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better understanding of what it means to recreate responsibly.” Though Baehr and Cabral aren’t the only BridgeTeton ambassadors, they are “the originals,” Merigliano said. They started in 2017, a summer notable for a total eclipse that drew crowds to Jackson. That was a few years before the ambassador program was even formally created. “They had worked at Triangle X and were just seeing the issues that were starting to happen with more and more people camping out there and wanted to help,” Merigliano said. “They came to us. We didn’t recruit them. They have been coming back every single year.” The ambassador program will expand this summer

See AMBASSADORS on 7


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BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE

Marta Mocchetti has been volunteering for Community Safety Network since 2018.

Providing support at Safety Network Volunteers play key role at nonprofit that aids people affected by domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

ing,” Croke said. “We are a nonprofit, totally separate from law enforcement, though we work closely alongside law enforcement — particularly Victim Services if a client chooses to report a crime — and we strongly value our close relationship with them.” By Kate Ready Community Safety Network has three dedicated client services staff ith the dual stressors of a and one shelter manager who works pandemic and a housing cri- primarily at night. Their schedules sis, the services of Commu- are consistently full supporting clinity Safety Network have never been ents. The length of stay for residents needed more. is individualized. The timeline on avIn recent years Adrian Croke, the erage is around one to two months, director of education and prevention, though it depends on each person’s has seen a steep increase in hotline needs. calls as well as the need for housing. Marta Mocchetti has been a volCroke declined to give specific statis- unteer with Community Safety Nettics on calls and residents per year to work since 2018, an organization she protect clients’ privacy. was motivated to get involved with “From 2019 to 2021, help line calls after moving from Northern Italy. doubled,” Croke said. “Though we’ve She spends a few months of the year been steady in bed nights, the length here in Jackson when she isn’t living of stay increased by 21.5%. I’d say in different parts of the world. there’s been a “I wanted to steep increase find a commuin the need for nity,” Mocchetti our services said. “Everyone with the panis welcome there, demic due to the and there’s the rise in economic commonality of instability, job shared values. loss and finanThere’s that cial stress, as sense of involvewe know these ment in the real stressors feed life of the town gender-based for someone who — Marta Mocchetti moved here and violence. We’ve COMMUNITY SAFETY NETWORK VOLUNTEER also seen an inis trying to uncrease in the derstand the need for emerreality of this gency housing place.” and also in the length of stay. ... It ​​ is Mocchetti said she enjoys the wide very hard especially with the hous- variety of opportunities that CSN ing crisis.” provides. The Community Safety Network “You have such a wide spectrum is a 24/7 free and confidential facil- of things you can do,” Mocchetti said. ity that provides a refuge for people “Volunteers can really help by being affected by domestic violence, sexual part of the 24/7 helpline. You just assault and stalking. Its resources give that first point of contact to the include emergency and transitional person, providing support, informahousing, a 24/7 hotline, child care, tion and help. “You’re not trying to solve the situand education and outreach informing the community about potentially ation or save the world like a ‘Law & Order: SVU’ episode. It’s really about lesser-known dynamics of abuse. Every county in the state has an being a friendly person on the other organization dedicated to provid- part of the line. Because sometimes ing gender-based violence support when someone is in deep crisis, it’s resources, though the organizations refreshing speaking to someone who doesn’t have an opinion; they’re just vary in size and mission focus. “For example,” Croke said, “the telling you your options and oppormission of Turning Point in Afton, tunities.” Other duties for volunteers inWyoming, reads ‘reduce the incidence of family violence, sexual as- clude programming for the guests sault, stalking, incest and child and their children, like carving pumpkins, creating Valentine’s Day abuse in Lincoln County.’” “Some counties are more focused cards, or looking after children for on sex trafficking, whereas ours is people who have court dates or other around domestic violence and stalkSee SAFETY on 9

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“WE MAKE A LIVING BY WHAT WE GET, BUT WE MAKE A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE.” – Winston Churchill

“It’s a real life you’re impacting, so it’s a huge responsibility. CSN gives you the tools to be able to be there.”

JUDY SINGLETON

HADYN PEERY

Investment Executive, RJFS Board Member for Curran Seeley

Financial Advisor, CFP®, RJFS Board President for the Community Counseling Center

(307) 732-6652 • singletonpeeryfinancial.com 170 East Broadway, Suite 100D • PO Box 508 • Jackson, WY 83001 Raymond James is not affiliated with the charities mentioned. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/ SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Singleton Peery Financial is not a registered broker/ dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.

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AMBASSADORS Continued from 4

both in terms of the areas covered and the variety of positions (see sidebar). It takes a “unique personality” to do this kind of volunteer work, Merigliano said. “You’ve got to be a people person,” she said. “You’ve got to really like people and have that welcoming attitude.” As soon as someone drives up, she said, “Sandy is running out to greet them. She really takes the initiative to make sure every person is greeted when they’re coming into these areas and knows where the campsites are and knows what their responsibilities and all that kind of good stuff.” Another key qualification, one Baehr and Cabral fulfill in spades, is a “real passion for public lands stewardship and responsible use,” Merigliano said. Baehr, for example, said that because there’s no trash service, he and Cabral pick up any garbage they find and haul it out. Clean campsites inspire visitors to do the right thing, he said. “People see trash and they say, ‘The hell with it,’” Baehr said. Merigliano noted that Cabral has started to deal with musk thistle, a notorious invasive species. “She’s taken her own initiative to murder thistles,” Merigliano said. “All these little things that help protect the resource.” While Spread Creek has 16 marked, designated sites and Toppings has 32, Cabral and Baehr note those are multiple-use sites, so they might be hosting well over a hundred campers a night. Sometimes the couple run into folks with a “This is my forest and I can do whatever I want” attitude, but when people break the rules it’s often because they didn’t read the signs or have gotten bad information from an app. The ambassadors have met folks who’ve been visiting the Bridger-Teton for decades but hadn’t heard camping in some areas is now restricted to designated sites. But Baehr and Cabral say most peo-

Other super contributors News&Guide readers voted for their favorite volunteers in the community. Community Hero: Julie Sandretto Julie is a school parent who has volunteered countless hours to helping Jackson Hole Classical Academy, from serving in the kitchen to substitute teaching to answering the phone. Next Generation: Kai McClennen School work, college preparation, sports and extracurricular activities all make high school an extremely busy time for teenagers. Still, Kai McClennen is one of Teton Literacy Center’s most passionate and hardworking volunteers. Not only does Kai volunteer as a one-on-one literacy tutor with fifth-grade student Conor, but he also kick-started a math small group with some first graders. Readers sent in nominations for more than a dozen other Super Volunteers of 2022. In alphabetical order, here they are: Joe Albright Christy Lee Carpenter Leland Christsensen Barb Huhn Cody Lockhart Julie McLauren Patricia Mull Judy Nalley Annette Osnos Randy Reedy Grace Robertson Charlotte Souter Rose Spaulding ple are good campers who are respectful of the environment and grateful for their efforts. The ambassadors hear thank-yous every day. “People don’t come out here to be obnoxious,” Cabral said. And “we always know if they’re jerks they’re going to be gone in five days.” Contact Jennifer Dorsey at jennifer@jhnewsandguide.com or 732-5908.

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PREPARED, PRACTICED, PRESENT Thank you, TCSAR Volunteers, for your resilience, professionalism, and care. And thank you to the community for being there to support them when the going gets tough. www.TetonCountySAR.org

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Young, old volunteer side by side at

Hole Food Rescue

Social and environmental impact, flexible shifts are appealing. By Billy Arnold

O

n a Friday in February, Rose Novak, 81, Carol Maloney, 83, and Francoise Roux, 89, sorted over 700 pounds of food at Hole Food Rescue. But the women who call themselves “Team 80” weren’t particularly stoked. “We did better last week,” Roux said, a bit dismayed, after Hole Food Rescue Operations Assistant Eva Jones read their numbers. But it wasn’t like the trio hadn’t been working. They were just sorting lighter food: fruits, vegetables and other goodies that had come in from grocery stores across town. Some weeks the trio of women who ski together, hang out together and volunteer together have sorted over 1,000 pounds of food. One heavy week involved hundreds of pounds of milk. Novak, Maloney and Roux are three of 140 volunteers Hole Food Rescue has recruited to help staff rescue food from Jackson Hole grocery stores, sort out what can’t be eaten and then pack out edible food. The nonprofit’s volunteers outnumber its paid staff 20 to 1. Between 70 and 80 people help process literal tons of food every week. And they’re mission-critical for the organization. Having 70 or 80 volunteers on for two-hour shifts translates to roughly 160 hours of work a week, the equivalent of four full-time staffers if they worked a typical work week. “There’s no way we could hire enough staff to cover the work of the volunteers,” said Hannah Cooley, the nonprofit’s new executive director. But the nonprofit doesn’t have to do much work to bring people in. “Word of mouth is the biggest thing,” said Ivan Jiminez, Hole Food Rescue’s program manager. Part of that is people like Hanna Austin, 34, a volunteer who staff credit with drawing double-digit numbers of volunteers to the organization. Like Ali Dunford, who started Hole Food Rescue after moving to Jackson in 2012, dumpster diving for food and then mobilizing her friends to get involved with the nonprofit, Austin’s no stranger to the idea of food rescue. She used to take food home from catering jobs, eat it and spread the love with her friends. And she sees Hole Food Rescue as a center of community, something she struggled with when she first moved to Jackson. “Mainly I just want to like help people get involved in the community because I had a really hard first year, meeting people, figuring out like what is there to do in Jackson besides go to the bar and go ski,” Austin said. “Whenever I meet someone else I’m like, ‘Do you want to come to one of my fitness classes for free? You want to check out a Hole Food Rescue?’” Austin estimated she’s gotten about 30 people involved. But why they stay is another question. Volunteers, young and old, said the nonprofit has cultivated a culture of volunteerism that’s attractive for any number of reasons. Some people like the tactile work of organizing food, boxes and walk-in refrigerators. Others like being able see their work translate into something concrete: like thousands of pounds of food packed and ready to go out across town. And then there’s the combined social-environmental angle the volunteers are abetting. The nonprofit is simultaneously diverting thousands of pounds of food a year from the landfill and delivering it to people around town at no cost. And that’s people of all incomes, rich or poor. Anyone can benefit from the nonprofit’s no-cost grocery programs.

BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE

Cori Patrick unpacks donated food in the Hole Food Rescue cooler in early February.

BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE

Carol Maloney, 83, Rose Novak, 81, and Francoise Roux, 89, put together bins of food bound for Pioneer Homestead on Feb. 18 at Hole Food Rescue. The three longtime friends — known at HFR as “Team 80” — have been volunteering together at the nonprofit for the last three years.

“I think it’s a relatively sexy nonprofit,” Jiminez said. “It’s got a lot of appeal to it.” Particularly for younger people. “Almost every young person that I know knows about or is involved with Hole Food Rescue,” said volunteer Maddie Jarrard, 24. A big part of that, volunteers said, is the outfit’s flexible shifts. Rather than requiring people to spend six hours volunteering, the shifts are relatively quick. And they don’t have to be regular: People can sign up for shifts that fit their schedule in any given week. “Everyone in Jackson is like, ‘I can’t make commitments, oh, my God,’” Austin said. “You only have to commit to one shift a month, and it doesn’t have to be the same time every time.” But it’s not like Hole Food Rescue’s

door is totally open. There’s a twoshift-or-so volunteer orientation. And staff recently purged inactive people from their system. But for people like Cori Patrick, 24, it’s easy to sneak a shift or two in between her shifts as a server at Thai Me Up. And it ties into her lifelong environmental ethic, something she feels other people in her generation share in Jackson. She said she’s a sucker for green marketing, buying into things like toothpaste bits, Altoid-like tablets of toothpaste that allow people to avoid buying a plastic tube. “I think people in our generation eat that stuff up, at least people like me,” she said. “I love that stuff even though realistically it’s not going to make that much of a difference. But doing stuff like this does make a difference.

“When you see how much stuff we’re throwing away at the grocery stores, it’s insane,” she said in the nonprofit’s walk-in grocery store, next to a shelf of discarded-but-edible vegan snacks and prepared meals. “It’s not cheap food.” The women on “Team 80” like working with the younger people, who they said make up most of the volunteer base. “They’re very upbeat, very energetic, very strong,” Novak said. “I’m sure many of them have more than one job but they decided this is something they want to do.” And the three older women don’t mind being the oldest in the room. “We’re the oldest everywhere we go,” Novak said, sorting a box of potatoes. Contact Billy Arnold at 732-7063 or barnold@jhnewsandguide.com.


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SAFETY Continued from 6

appointments. Education and community outreach are also of high importance. “One in 4 Wyoming women will be sexually assaulted before they graduate college,” Croke said. “In my experience the people who care most about building awareness are those who’ve been affected by it, and we really need everyone to care about this.” To build community awareness, volunteers help organize events for teens, preteens and everyone in the community to explain what abuse and violence look like. Sometimes the answer can be unexpected. Which is why both Mocchetti and Croke recommend their Level 1 training to everyone in the community. “Training is divided into two levels, Level 1 and Level 2,” Mocchetti said. “Level 1 is 20 hours and gives you the awareness to see when someone around us may be struggling and gives you the tools to understand our society and everything that’s going on and then respond in a useful and empathic way. Completing the Level 1 training doesn’t mean you have to commit to volunteering for the organization; it’s just about learning more. I would recommend Level 1 training to all.” Once volunteers complete another 20 hours of training, their Level 2, they can then be a part of meetings with clients. “I love interacting with clients, Mocchetti said. “It’s a real life you’re impacting, so it’s a huge responsibility,. CSN gives you the tools to be able to be there. Sometimes it’s just your presence. The two most important things CSN can help with is keeping people safe and building trust between the staff, guests, volunteers and community members.”

How to get involved To learn more about volunteering with Community Safety Network, contact Adrian Croke, director of prevention and education, at adrian@csnjh.org or 7333711. You can also visit CSNJH.org/volunteer. The center also provides support groups in both English and Spanish and helps clients navigate complicated legal or immigration processes. Half of the staff is now Spanishspeaking, Mocchetti said. Mocchetti offered some tips on how to change our awareness around what violence may look like. “It doesn’t have to be physical violence, it can be emotional abuse,” Mocchetti said. “Before the training my instinct would have been, ‘OK, I can fix it.’ CSN kills that structure. This is not how you respond. You listen first. Most people jump straight into action. CSN listens first.” Croke said the organization’s biggest need right now is for help with its 24/7 hotline. “The biggest need is for help line shifts,” Croke said. “We need someone picking up those phone calls, and you can do it from anywhere in town.” “Sometimes people feel Jackson is this beautiful bubble, but unfortunately this is everywhere,” Mocchetti said. “But the generosity of the community is really special here and gives the possibility for a big impact.” Contact Kate Ready at 732-7076 or kready@ jhnewsandguide.com.

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LOVE HORSES? ENJOY THE OUTDOORS?

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

TCPP IS LOOKING FOR NEW ANIMAL THERAPY TEAMS!

Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding needs YOU! Enjoy a fun and rewarding volunteer experience while helping to empower, inspire, and enrich lives! Just one hour of your time will leave a lasting impact.

Does your dog or cat need a job? Register with Pet Partners! Our programs put smiles on senior’s faces, ease hospital patients’ pain and help kids read. We offer evaluations quarterly for you and your pet.

Go to www.tcpetpartners.org - Email us at info@tcpetpartners.com Or call Kelly at 307.690.8532 for more information.

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Online scheduling • No minimum time commitment No horse experience necessary. Training provided. Ages 14+ FOR MORE INFO:

JHTR.org • volunteer@jhtr.org • 307.733.1374

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GRAB LIFE BY THE REINS AND JOIN US OUT AT THE ARENA! May-October, 2022 Monday-Friday • 8:30am-6:30pm


10 - VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

FOUR ELEMENTS of a life-saving team

Skills are an advantage, but the team-member vibe is essential to doing this dangerous work. By Sophia Boyd-Fliegel

F

or the first time in six years Teton County Search and Rescue is training new members. By the time they graduate from probationary status in May, the 10 new recruits will have banked hundreds of training hours to respond on the worst day of people’s lives. Before they receive assignments, before grabbing helmets and overnight bags, before they know if they’re dealing with swiftwater, cliff faces or avalanche terrain, there’s the call. New recruit Anna DiSanto’s SAR ringtone is an alarm. It’s loud. Panic hits. She runs around for 30 seconds, as she puts it, like a chicken without its head. Jen Reddy needed to change her ringtone out for something more mellow. A search and rescue team member since 2015, she likes to de-escalate the adrenaline. And though their calls to the hangar might sound different, the team’s unity is unparalleled. As a volunteer organization, Teton County Search and Rescue stands out in a transient mountain town for its high retention rate, high pressure and a level of professionalism. The News&Guide spoke with team members from across the generations to tease out what makes this team click.

Flattened hierarchy Dan Rogers knows about high-functioning teams. He joined the military at 18 and served in U.S. Army infantry for almost nine years. When he moved to Idaho three and a half years ago he found Teton County Idaho’s search and rescue team.

KATHRYN ZIESIG / NEWS&GUIDE

KATHRYN ZIESIG / NEWS&GUIDE

Lexie Drechsel’s car is packed and ready for action, whether that’s going out on a rescue mission or meeting a patient for physical therapy. Drechsel is one of the newest Teton County Search and Rescue volunteers.

Idahoan Dan Rogers has taken on double duty this past year with both the Teton County and Teton County, Idaho, rescue teams. The software engineer has been volunteering since 2018 in Idaho. In 2021 he added Wyoming’s counterpart to his volunteer regime.

But Rogers was still surprised when he added Wyoming’s Teton County counterpart to his rescue regime in 2021. In the Army, Rogers said, you can wind up feeling like a kind of a cog in the wheel. But he said the inclusivity and open-mindedness at Teton County Search and Rescue as well as the emphasis on both physical and mental health made him feel at home, like he had a voice. It would be easy to rough up the freshmen brought on every three to five years. Instead, Reddy said, they’re welcomed as a much-needed

reinvigoration. “That injection of energy brings up everybody else on the team who might be like, ‘OK, I’ve been doing this for years,’” Reddy said. That makes way for inspiration to improve, said new class member Lexie Drechsel, and a sense of admiration for people who’ve come before. And the different backgrounds matter. With different skills, everyone gets to feel like an equal-value contributor, says Anna DiSanto, also in the 2021 class. “That’s why we are able to function so well. Everybody brings something

different to the table.”

Space to make mistakes Lots of SAR volunteers have stories of calling on the team for themselves or for a friend. In 2010 volunteer Jon Wiedie broke his neck after skiing into a tree in Rock Springs, outside of the resort. Often on rescues, Wiedie said, people are embarrassed: “And I say, ‘I had to call the team. Our lives are being out doing what we love in dangerous situations. So don’t ever feel weird about calling.’” Willingness to catch the falling is shared internally.

“When people aren’t afraid to make a mistake, they’re more relaxed, they’re calmer, they’re more optimistic, they feel supported,” DiSanto said. “We all ask each other for help. And we’ve all been able to help each other so there’s no shame.” Nixing shame is a survival skill, said Ryan Combs, a SAR member since 2010. “As we go out on missions we always feel comfortable expressing any concerns we have,” Combs said, “because at the end of the day if one of us doesn’t come home, that’s the worst-case scenario.” See SAR on 11E

Thank you volunteers for opening the door to a brighter future.

www.tetonhabitat.org 402486

@tetonhabitat


VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022 - 11

SAR

Continued from 10E

Systematic support And there’s more to a rescue than saving gravely injured people and coming home alive, Combs said. “For instance,” he said, “in an avalanche fatality the focus is on the victim. But you may not always think ‘Gosh, that the person standing beside me, the person who’s been digging them out for the past hour, performing CPR, is traumatized because their friend has just died.’” Psychological first-aid is now part of their training. In 2018 Reddy helped the team learn techniques for helping victims whose injuries aren’t physical, so their tragedy isn’t lasting trauma. And the check-ins go beyond the field. The compounding stress of rescues don’t always create a tolerance for trauma, Dan Rogers said: “That tolerance can wear down over time or grow over time,” he said. Members are encouraged to understand their limits, so if someone has been on four body recoveries recently, Rogers said, “we’re not like ‘Let’s send him on one because he’s the guy that can do this.’” Since 2019 search and rescue has worked with the Teton Interagency Peer Support group to provide mental health resources. A team of four, including Combs, are Teton TIPS point-people who coordinate systematic check-ins three days, then three weeks, and three months after an incident. Resources like Teton TIPS help keep “the team in the green,” DiSanto said, “because Jackson’s a stressful place to make ends meet.”

Same page personas Each class of volunteers is selected from among hundreds of uber-qualified applicants.

Don Alsted Laura Armstrong Victoria Atwater Laurie Bay Sarah Beninga Jan Benz Sally Berman Heather Black Eileen Blackwell Greg Brondos Susan Brooks Judith Buttala Sally Byrne Lisa Carlin Miguel Carrera Afton Cobb Patricia Dempsey Susan Erickson Bill Finerty Lucretia Finlay Lisa Claudy Fleischman Raymond Force Joyce Frye Joan Goldfarb Natalie Goss Gigi Halloran Diane Hanson Barb Huhn Alison Jones Diane Key Charlotte Kidd Louise Koegler

KATHRYN ZIESIG / NEWS&GUIDE

Jen Reddy, a freelance designer, has been a volunteer with Teton County Search and Rescue since 2015. She played a large role in bringing psychological first aid to the team’s practices. In 2018 Reddy helped the team learn techniques for helping victims whose injuries aren’t physical, so their tragedy isn’t a lasting trauma.

Everyone who applies wants to help. Most are gifted athletes. But with room for only 10 to 15 new people, who makes the cut? Jon Wiedie says over the 18 years he’s been at search and rescue the kind of person has stayed “uniquely the same.” After the prerequisites of having a relatively flexible schedule and knowing how to ski, the most-talked about criteria for new members is personality. Instead of the traditional workplace where selection is based on skill, it’s first about vibes.

Carla Kussner Harry Lawroski Mary Ann Lawroski Anne Lippold Jane Malashock Steve Malashock Suzanne Martindale Dan Matzke Julie Matzke Nancy McCarthy Mitchell McClosky Linda Melton Lori Moffett Maggie Moore Ann Nelson Judy Pilgrim Cynthia Quast Karen Rockey Ellen Sanford Carol Schneebeck Regina Schultz Jennifer Scott Caroline Taylor Chase Taylor Bobbi Thomasma Martha Van Genderen Marsha Wackerly Lynne Whalen Laurel 'Bru' Wicks Allison Wiener Mary Willis John Wilson

“If you’re a good team member,” Rogers said, “then you can learn the basic skills.” There’s no room for ego, Wiedie said, which is dangerous in highstakes scenarios. “Can you be the guy who gets pizza or can you be the guy who gets on the helicopter? I think everyone has a really great sense of humor,” DiSanto said. “We laugh a lot together.” And they really do seem to like each other. Everyone at some point said the team was their second family,

helping them stay rooted in a quicklychanging community. And with such tight bonds it’s easy to understand the attraction of being part of the crew. You never want to be called out, Wiedie said, but you want to help and see the positive outcome. And no matter the ringtone, you can’t deny the adrenaline. “You’re a little addicted to the callout.” Contact Sophia Boyd-Fliegel at county@jhnewsandguide or 307-732-7063.

THANK YOU!

2021-2022 VOLUNTEERS

© Bart Walter, Wapiti Trail, modeled 2005, cast 2007. Anonymous Gift, National Museum of Wildlife Art.

wildlifeart.org • @wildlifeartjh 401983


12 - VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Aspiring doctor assists at blood drives High school junior Fernanda Costilla Correa helped keep blood drives running during national blood shortage. By Evan Robinson-Johnson

A

t 17, Fernanda Costilla Correa already knows she wants to be a doctor, and more specifically, a heart surgeon. She wears a scalpel necklace around her neck as proof. But before she applies to Stanford University and becomes a big-name doctor, Fernanda is helping out her local community by volunteering at Jackson Hole blood drives, run by the transfusion nonprofit Vitalant. She’s not eligible to give blood, so instead she gives her time as a greeter at the registration desk. “I just love helping people,” Fernanda said at Vitalant’s most recent drive at Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church. Whether that’s help finding the bathroom or a postdonation juice box, Fernanda does it with a smile. She serves a small but essential role in the lifesaving process of blood transfusions, which have been more difficult during COVID-19. In January the American Red Cross declared a national blood crisis, describing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Pandemic cancellations and low donor turnout forced some doctors to make tough choices about who receives blood transfusions, the Red Cross said. Jackson’s blood drives haven’t missed a beat, however, thanks to generous donors like local artist Connor Liljestrom and volunteers like Fernanda and fellow high schooler

REED MATTISON / NEWS&GUIDE

Fernanda Costilla Correa, 17, has her sights set on being a first-generation college student pursuing medicine. Her ultimate goal is to become a surgeon. Those seeds are sown through volunteering at blood drives and working as a certfied nursing assistant at Sage Living.

Nayeli Hernandez Lopez, who both stepped up at the start of the pandemic to fill shifts.

“These two students are exemplary,” said Jolene Moulder, Jackson’s largest blood drive ambassador and

the one who runs most of the behindthe-scenes planning. “They are the first to respond and pick up shifts when I send out emails asking for help. The blood drive’s success depends on them.” Most of Moulder’s volunteers are retired women, she said, who were more wary of going out during the pandemic. “These girls stepped up and made sure we had hosts the last two years.” Vitalant comes to Jackson every nine weeks and holds drives on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings. It typically collects 100 donations over the two-day period, thanks to consistent volunteers. Sometimes the blood flows right back to patients at St. John’s Health. Moulder first helped organize blood drives as a college student (which is actually how she met her husband). She got involved in Jackson after a close friend was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. “I got off the phone with him and saw an email about the blood drive being in town that day, and I thought, ‘I can’t directly help my friend but I could help someone else,’ so I went to the drive,” she said. That was back in 2010. Since then, Moulder has worked to bring on additional volunteers, both the donors and those helping out at the registration desk. “I like the satisfaction of paying it forward and helping someone else,” she said. Fernanda feels a similar charge. As president of the junior class at Jackson Hole High School she is rallying her peers to put together gift bags for St. John’s Health staff. She is also a certified nursing assistant, See BLOOD DRIVE on 13E

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VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022 - 13

BLOOD DRIVE Continued from 12E

an achievement she earned after passing an initial course at the high school. “I’m a very driven person,” she said in an interview.

“I just love helping people.” — Fernanda Costilla Correa 17-YEAR-OLD BLOOD DRIVE VOLUNTEER

Fernand’s next goal is an acceptance to Stanford. She said she took four AP classes last year as a sophomore, against the recommendation of her school advisors. After she aced those tests, they allowed her another six advanced placement courses this year, and she added several Ivy League schools to her college list. If she attends, Fernanda will be a first-generation college student. Her mother didn’t graduate from high school. Fernanda will also be proud to prove wrong the doubters who she said discounted her abilities because of her race. “I guess some people have never seen Hispanics like me try so hard,” she said. “I’ve felt kind of like the way they see me change as well. So that’s been hard, but it’s been good.” Like her community involvement, the 17-year-old isn’t sure where the inspiration for academic achievement came from. But there’s no denying she has thrived in both areas. As a CNA she works part time for

REED MATTISON / NEWS&GUIDE

Fernanda Costilla Correa checks in local artist Connor Liljestrom at a blood drive Feb. 16. Castilla and Liljestrom volunteer in their own ways as the nation faces what the Red Cross says is the worst blood shortage in over a decade.

Sage Living, helping elderly residents at the long-term care facility feel at home. “Whenever they say ‘Thank you for helping,’ my eyes start to get teary,” she said. Most of Vitalant’s donors won’t get to experience that direct receipt of gratitude, because they won’t

know who their blood helps, but that doesn’t mean their gift isn’t having an impact. Testimonials posted around the Lutheran church during the drive spoke of transfusions that helped the “Voice of the Broncs” Danny Mayer recover from two separate accidents. (Mayer recently died) Many of the volunteer donors had

given dozens of times, while others turned out because they saw the call on Facebook and answered, not unlike young Fernanda, who heard that initial ask from Moulder and didn’t hesitate to say yes. Contact Evan Robinson-Johnson at 732-5901 or ERJ@jhnewsandguide.com.

Thank you volunteers! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please reach out! volunteer@stjohns.health

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14 - VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

H TER OF J N E C R O I THE SEN T A M A R TE ositions p JOIN OU g n i w o ll for the fo d e eceptionists R d e m o e o n R g s r in Din Voluntee • Lunchtime s r e v ri • Tech Tutors D s ls ie e it e v h ti c A -W n h it Meals-o ers • Assist w ordinator lp e H t u o olunteer Co e V k , o g a t ti & Ta n a urdes S p or email a , If interested

c t Lo

please conta

at 307-733-7

u 300 to sign rcenterjh.org io info@sen

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KATHRYN ZIESIG / NEWS&GUIDE

T.C. Heydon hands boxes full of food and essentials to One22 coworker Carey Stanley as they set up the nocost grocery center in the Teton County Recreation Center in October. One22 partnered with the Rec Center in an effort to destigmatize access to free food programs.

Volunteers’ work is ‘absolutely critical’ One22 head says those willing to give time drive vital community efforts. By Timothy J. Woods

S

THANK YOU!

Thank You!

We are grateful for the time, energy, and leadership provided by the members of the St. John’s Heath We are grateful for the time, energy, and leadership provided Foundation Board! by the members of the St. John's Health Foundation Board! Val Beck Bill Best Bill Best Karen Brennan Karen Brennan Tom Bruno Tom Bruno Jane Carey Jane Carey Michael Coles Michael Coles SueSue Critzer Critzer TomTom FayFay Chuck Fleischman Chuck Fleischman Flug JeffJeff Flug Bob Grady Bob Grady Robert Halper, MD

Connie Hansen Robert Halper, MD May Herr Connie Hansen Cynthia Hogan May Herr Rachel Kay Keller Cynthia RichardHogan King Rachel Kay Jim Little, Jr.,Keller MD Jim Little Jr., MD Elizabeth Masek Hillary Munro Elizabath Masek Katy Niner Hillary Munro Doug Ober Katy Niner Leslie Petersen Doug Ober Shirley Piper

Bob Pisano Shirley Piper Pat Robertson Bob Pisano Gary Roubin, MD Dave Robertson Ted Staryk Gary Roubin, MD Sue Sullivan Ted Staryk Charlie Thomson Charlie Thomson Marty Trott, MD PatrickTrott, TruccoMD Marty Paul Vogelheim Patrick Trucco Will Wagnon Paul Vogelheim

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harel Lund, the executive director of One22 Resource Center — a Jackson nonprofit created in 2016 when three local support organizations banded together — is quick to point out just how important volunteerism is to One22’s ability to function. “Our volunteers really focus their activities on Jackson Cupboard — not entirely, but for the most part — and are absolutely critical to us being able to offer the wide range of services and accessibility of no-cost of groceries to the community,” Lund said in a recent interview. “There’s no way we could deliver these services without them.” In her next breath, without prompting, Lund rattled off a few key numbers that demonstrate how valuable volunteers are to One22 and specifically to Jackson Cupboard, a no-cost grocery service that is a crucial arm of One22’s community services. In calendar year 2021, she said, “we had 2,332 total volunteer hours, with 150 total volunteers, including some large groups of folks.” Among those large groups volunteering with Jackson Cupboard listed by Lund were: Central Wyoming College-Jackson culinary arts program students, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries, First Interstate Bank employees, the Scouts of America’s “Scouting for Food” volun-

teers who hold the “biggest food drives of the year for us,” and St. John’s Episcopal Church staff. Lund was apologetic to, yet still thankful for, any groups she might have omitted in her off-the-top-ofher-head list. And when Lund says volunteers are “absolutely critical” to Jackson Cupboard and One22’s operations, it’s no exaggeration. Those 150 volunteers eclipse the total staff by 733%, with One22 having 18 paid employees, only about three or four of whom are regularly involved with Cupboard’s daily operations, though Lund points out that there is a good deal of crossover or collaboration involved in the duties of One22’s small paid staff. Jackson Cupboard’s resources and volunteers have been put to the test recently, after an upstairs pipe burst on Jan. 4, flooding its space at 245 N. Glenwood St. The flood caused the program to move all of Cupboard’s operations to what was formerly a mere satellite location at the Jackson/Teton County Recreation Center. Cupboard is in the process of opening a new format for no-cost grocery services at a new location in downtown Jackson until more is known about the condition of the Glenwood Street location. Nastassia Cruz, One22’s volunteer manager, is effusive in her praise for their volunteers, and especially their ability and willingness to adapt during times of stress and crisis, such as the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic or the January flood. “They’re just so quick to mobilize. See ONE22 on 15E

Thank you 2021 library volunteers! Alicia Whissel Ayla Pavelka Bob Culver Bob Wemple Carlen Hervig Carol Connors Catherine Lavin Cathy Culver Ceci Clover Dail Barbour Dawn Felchle

Dawn Meckem Dimmie Zeigler Drusilla Lawton Ella Dahlgren Gordon Brown Grace Robertson Gretchen Plender Helen Van Riper Irene Mellion Ivy Molls Jacob Crabtree

Jennifer Dorsey June Darin June McCollister Karin King Karla Swiggum Katelyn Page Kathleen O'Neil Kim Cauzza Kira Heller Lauren Schepman Leslie Garcia Cisneros

Linda Prentice Lokey Lytjen Lori Clark-Erickson Lori Iverson Marge Glick Marilyn Bell Mary Cutler Michael Adler Molly Brown Nancy Jarrell Nancy McCarthy

Natasha Carrillo Nikki Melanson Nina Lenz Oliver Hundere Pamela McIntosh Pat Snyder Patricia McKibbin Pete Dennis Peter Stalker Rachel Springman Ronna Simon

Rose Jeske Shawn Klomparens Stella Vickland Davis Sue Dennis Susan Dong Susan Foster Susan Hedden Virginia Adler Willow Larson Yvonne Henze

Library volunteers donated more than 5000 hours in 2021! To get involved, email volunteer@tclib.org. 402484


VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022 - 15

STEVEN BRICK

OUR WONDERFUL BREAKFAST COOK VOLUNTEER He comes in every day at 5 am to prepare a hot breakfast for the residents and guests. He is a real gem!

REED MATTISON / NEWS&GUIDE FILE

One22’s flooded space is now closed.

ONE22

Continued from 14E

You know, like when [COVID] hit and the lockdown happened and we had an incredible amount of people looking for assistance in different ways ... those volunteers were so quick to just mobilize and be there and, you know, ‘What do you need me to do?’” Cruz said. “They’re just available and make it happen.” Referring to what she calls her “legacy volunteers,” Cruz added, “There’s a good group of them, but there’s definitely a core of people that are just so good at that response and being able to get us going when we need them.” Contact Tim Woods at 732-5911 or town@jhnewsandguide.com.

How you can help One22 Community members who have that volunteerism itch, Lund said, can express their interest to One22, though she noted that there might be some lag as the thinly staffed organization adapts to some changes. Among the changes, Lund said, the organization plans to roll out a new volunteer training program in the next few weeks. “It involves kind of an overview of One22, some education about what food insecurity is and how it impacts our community, other resources available to people who may come to us for food assistance, and then just operational training,” she said. A bit of an introvert, but still want to pitch in? Don’t be shy, there’s a job to suit you. An extrovert who wants to pitch in? Just be you. “There’s work in the in the back of the house and work in the front of the house,” Lund said. “You know, work that is client-facing and work that’s not client-facing; and those kinds of tasks include stocking shelves, filling orders, picking out recycling, picking up donations, making deliveries, helping with food drives, stocking the satellite [location at the Rec Center]. “Cupboard has kept a lot of our volunteers busy during the flood, and really just the daily operations of the Cupboard.” Visit One22JH.org.

285 W PEARL AVE, DOWNTOWN JACKSON, WYOMING 402489

CONGRATULATIONS

VOLUNTEER

AWARD WINNERS!

Community Hero Award

Julie Sandretto Julie is a school parent who has volunteered countless hours to helping our school, from serving in the kitchen, to substitute teaching, to answering the phone. We are grateful to all of our parent volunteers but would like to recognize Julie for her selfless service

Next Generation Award

Kai McClennen School work, college preparation, sports and extra curriculars all make high school an extremely busy time for teenagers. Still, Kai McClennen is one of Teton Literacy Center’s most passionate and hardworking volunteers. Not only does Kai volunteer as a one-on-one literacy tutor with our fifth grade student, Conor, but he also kick-started a math small group with some of our first graders!

sponsored by

Super Volunteer Award

Bill Baehr & Sandy Cabral

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS IN THE VALLEY!

These two have dedicated their last 7 summers to the Toppings/Spread Creek area. They live on the Forest and help Friends of the Bridger-Teton and the US Forest Service. They serve as a critical point of contact for visitors to receive important #recreateresponsibly information and for local law enforcement, Search & Rescue, and BTNF personnel to ensure visitors recreate safely and responsibly on Teton County’s public lands without damaging our natural resources nor straining our emergency services.

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16 - VALLEY VOLUNTEER • JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Volunteer

Make a Difference Volunteer JH is an online platform where Teton County nonprofits can post their volunteer needs and community members can learn about volunteer opportunities. Please visit the Community Foundation’s Volunteer JH for more details.

volunteerjh.org

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