Volunteers Valley
A supplement to the Jackson Hole News&Guide
April 18, 2012
A welcoming face
Jesse O’Connor is part of posse that greets visitors. page 15
Join the
club page 8
Posts with
perks page 13
Ashley Wilkerson
Jesse O’Connor mans the Howdy Pardners booth at Jackson Hole Airport welcoming arriving passengers to the valley with a cup of orange juice or a mimosa.
2 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
From the editor
Volunteer for the 44th Annual Community
SPRING CLEAN UP
12, 2012 Saturday May is 9:00am e m ti g n ti e e M The meeting places are: Town Square • Old Wilson School Hoback Market
Free picnic lunch at Powderhorn Park at noon provided for all volunteers. Volunteers should dress appropriately for weather that morning, bring gloves and sun screen. Bags and orange vests will be provided. 234198
The PC Fund for Animals Charitable Trust
“Dedicated to helping animals in need, and to promoting and protecting the rights of all animals!” SERVICES/PROGRAMS
•
• • •
Free Spay/Neuter We Vet care for domestic & wild animals (Meds/Rehab) would mos appre Healing Touch for Animals (Post Trauma Care) ciate y t financ o Public Awareness Campaigns/Action Alerts ial sup ur p T h a (Animal Issues in the News or in Legislation) nk yo ort. uf c aring! or Liaison w/Teton Co. Sheriff’s Office re: Cruelty/Abuse Complaints Educational Seminars Free Educational Materials re: Pet Ownership and Pet Care International Prayer & Healing Energy Circle (Members in 26 states and 7 foreign countries) Any Beneficial Service we may provide to the animal kingdom
The Senior Center of Jackson Hole needs a volunteer to distribute newsletters once a month and another to coordinate a summer garage sale, director Becky Zaist said. Someone to serve as an occasional substitute to deliver meals to shutin seniors would “help us hugely,” Zaist said. The Community Foundation of Jackson Hole uses nearly 300 volunteers to help produce Old Bill’s Fun Run, which in 2011 distributed $7.75 million to valley nonprofit groups. This year’s event will be held downtown on Sept. 8. If you have only a morning to commit, the Rotary Clubsponsored Spring Clean Up is set for May 12. By donning gloves and bending over a few hundred times, you could substantially improve the beauty of this place. Still don’t have time to volunteer? Almost every nonprofit has a wish list of items it would like to have donated. For example, Teton Youth and Family Services is seeking two propane grills, a shop vacuum, twin bedsheets, a washer and dryer, sturdy couches, a chest freezer and a printer. Join the efforts, widespread, to make Jackson Hole a great place. – Johanna Love
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T
he pages of our fourth annual Volunteers section are packed with inspiration. You’ll read about residents who sit by the bedside of the dying, dangle from helicopters to rescue injured climbers and teach homeless dogs house manners. As a way to repay people who spent countless hours coaching them at sports and life, volunteer coaches pay that time forward for another generation. Board members for more than 200 nonprofit organizations in the area attend meetings to guide the groups and get their hands dirty, too. While the perks of a free ski pass or concert ticket help motivate volunteers to become ski hosts or ushers, there are less glamorous parts of each job. If you think you don’t have time to volunteer, consider that even a few hours per month could be useful. The Jackon/Teton County Animal Shelter is looking for folks age 14 and older to help walk dogs. The animals are grateful for a break from the kennel routine, and the exercise helps calm them, shelter manager Corie Rybak says. A few times a summer, the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation asks people to come help pull obsolete barbed wire fencing so wildlife can move freely.
The PC Fund, Box 4220, Jackson, WY 83001 • (307)733-0007
oupitou@earthlink.net • Member: WY Animal Network; NYSWRA; NWRA
Thank you for
Special supplement written, produced and printed by the Jackson Hole News&Guide
SAFETY
Publishers: Michael Sellett, Elizabeth McCabe
Thank you for
Chief Operating Officer: Kevin Olson
HOPE
Special Sections Editor: Angus M. Thuermer Jr. Editor: Johanna Love Layout and Design: Kathryn Holloway Photo Editors: Bradly J. Boner, Price Chambers Copy Editors: Richard Anderson, Jennifer Dorsey Features: Jennifer Dorsey, Emma Bryesse, Tram Whitehurst, Mark Huffman, Brielle Schaeffer, Katy Niner, Angus M. Thuermer Jr., Cory Hatch, Johanna Love
Community Safety Network is grateful for its many dedicated volunteers and advocates who help bring safety and hope to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Your compassion and skill make the journey to peace so much brighter!
Advertising Sales: Amy Golightly, Adam Meyer, Karen Brennan, Meredith Faulkner Advertising Coordinator: Heather Best Advertising Design: Caryn Wooldridge, Jenny Francis, Kara Hanson, Lydia Wanner Pre-press: Jeff Young Pressmen: Dave Carey, Dale Fjeldsted, Greg Grutzmacher, Johnathan Leyva, Mike Taylor, Bryan Williams Office Manager: Kathleen Godines Customer Service Managers: Lucia Perez, Ben Medina Circulation: Kyra Griffin, Pat Brodnik, Gary Bourassa, Hank Smith Copyright 2012 Jackson Hole News&Guide P.O. Box 7445, 1225 Maple Way Jackson, WY 83002 , 307-733-2047 Fax: 307-733-2138, www.jhnewsandguide.com
On behalf of the 23 local Habitat homeowner families and over 500,000 families worldwide,
CSN advocates at its annual appreciation dinner, November 2011.
Join Us! CSN’s next Advocate Training begins in June. A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out
24-Hour Help Line: 733-SAFE (7233) Office Line: 733-3711 www.communitysafetynetwork.org
lease proof and call Karen at 739-9541 or return via Fax at 733-2138. Thanks!
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THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS!
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PDF PROOF?
Taylor Glenn Photography
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 3
In mountains, rescuers
face risks
Members of Teton County Search and Rescue and Jackson Hole Fire/ EMS put themselves in danger to aid others. By Emma Breysse
Y
ears as an outdoorsman brought Mike Nelson into the Teton County Search and Rescue fold. None of that prepared him for dangling from a line attached to a helicopter thousands of feet above the same slopes he’d hiked and skied. “It’s unnerving at first,” he said. “It was a risk I never thought I’d take.” It’s only one of the seemingly death-defying strategies employed by him and other members of the agencies who show up when a visitor ends up on the wrong side of Mother Nature. The going does get tough, but according to three Search and Rescue and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS volunteers, that’s when the tough start trusting their training and one another.
Mike Nelson If Nelson, an eight-year Search and Rescue veteran, feels the adrenaline of a rescue, it’s right at the beginning or after the job is done. “There’s a ramp-up moment at first, but you have to take a step back,” he said. “In a way, you’re playing a game of odds, but you have to put that out of your mind at the moment. Later, you can have the breakdown.” After the ramp-up moment, Nelson said, his training takes over and he concentrates on doing what must be done. Search and Rescue volunteers participate in regular and intensive training both to keep specialized skills fresh and to make the job all but second nature, he said. In a situation like a cave rescue, those skills can be what it takes. The Wind and Ice caves can put both spelunkers and rescuers in a tight spot or leave them in the dark. When someone is lost or injured underground, it takes a level head and a reliable light source to bring them out again, Nelson said. “There are spots in those caves where you literally can’t turn around,” he said. “I’ve been in rescues where we had to attach a stretcher to a team member and have them haul them out behind them.” And just as a spelunker can find herself trapped in a tight place, so can a rescuer. Nelson said there is an exit spot to one cave that’s a tight corkscrew of a passage where he can’t picture getting a stuck person out without explosives, which aren’t exactly risk-free themselves. “Every rescue is unique just because of the terrain you’re in and what the conditions are,” he said. “It’s always an improv moment when you have to figure out what will work best for that particular situation.”
Tim Ciocarlan If anyone knows how to plan a rescue, and how to throw that plan out when necessary, it’s Tim Ciocarlan. A 20-year veteran and one of the original members of Search and Rescue, he’s done more of just about all of it than anyone on the team. That includes making the call, as incident commander, on whether his team can manage the risk of any given mission. “The problem with rescues and trainings is they’re very dynamic,” he said. “Boy, things can go wrong fast. It all comes down to can your people do that rescue and can they come out safely.” Ciocarlan knows that it also comes down to trusting the people he sends out, even when they make a call to change the plan. Chances are slim that the information he has before the mission starts accurately represents the entire situation, he said. A January rescue after a skier triggered an avalanche in Four Pines is a perfect example. Early
BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE FILE
Will Smith, Teton County Search and Rescue medical director, rides below a helicopter in 2008 with a litter carrying a backcountry snowboarder who broke his leg on Mount Glory. The patient was evacuated to a waiting ambulance at Coal Creek on the west side of Teton Pass.
information said Edie Asrow, 43, of Jackson, was high up the mountain where the risk of triggering a second avalanche was great. “We weren’t going to go where we [originally] thought she was,” Ciocarlan said. “It came down to, ‘If we don’t go she might die. If we go, one of us might die.’ ” When Asrow told rescuers a helicopter sent out to survey the scene flew right over her, they realized she was lower down than reported, and they decided to try skiing up to her. They were still in avalanche terrain in blizzard conditions, but both Asrow and her rescuers made it out safely. The middle of a rescue is “a really extreme time,” Ciocarlan said. “If you make a mistake, you’re lost, or you’re setting off an avalanche. Those are scary situations. You fall back on your training, and you fall back on your teammates.” Sometimes, the worst happens despite everything. Weeks after the Asrow rescue, Ciocarlan was involved in the decision-making process to send Fire/EMS Battalion Chief Mike Moyer, helicopter pilot Ken Johnson and team member Ray Shriver aloft to rescue a snowmobiler near Togwotee Pass. The mission turned sour when the helicopter crashed, fatally injuring Shriver and leaving Moyer and Johnson with severe leg injuries. “I would not be telling you the truth if I said it didn’t take the wind out of our sails,” Ciocarlan said. Before the Feb. 15 crash, the worst injury suffered by a Search and Rescue team member was a broken wrist, he said. “I won’t tell you it wasn’t hard, and it was tough for me as incident commander, but we have a job to
do,” he said. “When the next call came, we were all ready to rescue again, and we needed to, honestly.”
Will Smith It can seem like Dr. Will Smith takes every chance he can to put his medical skills to extreme tests. An emergency room doctor at St. John’s Medical Center, Smith also volunteers for Fire/EMS, Search and Rescue and the National Park Service. His business card announces him as “The Wilderness Doctor.” “I definitely enjoy taking my skills out in the field,” Smith said. “It’s a special niche that I’ve been able to find.” He started volunteering his medical skills, often taking them to the backcountry, with Fire/EMS, where he is now the medical director. The concept snowballed from there. For Smith, a wilderness emergency requires the same skill and care as a hospital emergency. “I don’t ignore [the risk], I don’t discount it,” he said. “Just like medicine, you have to evaluate the situation. You get to know what to do and where to do it.” Sometimes that involves hanging from a helicopter, sometimes it involves navigating swift rapids to find a trapped rafter and sometimes it involves running into a burning building — all things Smith has done either in the field or in a training situation. When you ask him why he would take the extra risks without pay, he’ll dispute your point, however. “We do get paid, in a way,” he said. “We’re helping people and helping to keep them safer in the backcountry, and that’s really rewarding.”
4 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Helping with health care Volunteers fill in the gaps of community’s medical needs at Teton Free Clinic.
By Tram Whitehurst
E
very Tuesday night, the quiet family practice office of Dr. Richard Sugden transforms into a bustling center of activity as the Teton Free Clinic takes over. A line of people snakes out the door as patients wait for their order to be determined by the spin of a bingo cage. Some nights, there are so many people that some have to be turned away. Many are here because they don’t have any other options for their medical needs. Since 2003, the free clinic has been the primary health care provider for a number of low-income and uninsured residents of Teton County. Although it’s staffed by two parttime health care professionals, a rotating group of volunteers forms the backbone of the service. “The volunteers are critical here; we couldn’t do it without them,” said Dave Saurman, a physician assistant who works part time at the clinic and full time at Teton Valley Hospital in Driggs, Idaho. “They’re an integral part of what’s going on.” About six to eight volunteers each week provide a range of services for patients, from medical examinations to translation and administrative work. One volunteer even cooks dinner for the group. On this night, Julie Giacobassi, a retired musician who played oboe and English horn and who now calls herself the “gopher” of the office, brought homemade chili with cheese, onions and cilantro. She has been volunteering at the clinic for more than six years. In that time, working with patients and other
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE
At the Teton Free Clinic, Dr. Richard Sugden, with nurse JoAnne Scott, examines Derek James. Sugden’s office hosts the free clinic each Tuesday for medical providers to volunteer their time providing free primary medical care for low-income and uninsured residents.
“passionate volunteers,” she hasn’t wanted to leave. “This is just a very special place,” she said. “I look forward to it every Tuesday night.” Other volunteers see time at the clinic as a way not only to serve the community but also to keep their skills up, medical or otherwise. For example, Sugden, who helped start the clinic and who donates his East Broadway office space for its use, said he gets to practice his Spanish with some patients. For Dr. Bill Holmes, a recently retired ear, nose and throat special-
TT EE TT O O NN CC O O UU NN TT YY LL I I BB RR AA RR YY FOUNDATION FOUNDATION
ist who spent the last 10 years of his career at the Mayo Clinic, the free clinic gets him out of the house and allows him to continue to use his skills to help others. “I really wanted to help out,” he said. “It gets me out of my wife’s hair and helps me keep my skills up.” But all agreed that what motivates them most is the chance to really make a difference in people’s lives by helping to improve their health. “It’s nice to be able to provide the skills to people who need it and services to those who need it,” said Lanny Johnson, a physician assistant
THANKS
The Library All Our Devoted Volunteers!
Friends of the Teton County Library contribute to every part of the library through their volunteer work. Anyone who volunteers at the library is automatically a Friend. The library recognizes and thanks its many Friends! If you’d like to volunteer, call Volunteer Coordinator Maria Hayashida-Ludington, 733-2164, ext. 255 or email mhayashida@tclib.org Somira Sao and Tormentina Burwick
Volunteer Opportunities Baking Goodies • Book Sale • Books on Wheels • Children’s Programs and Craft Helper College Prep Program Mentor • Digital Scrapbooking • Friends Coffee Stand Junk Mail Management • Library Program Hospitality • Mailings Old Bill’s Fun Run and Parade Participation • Poster Distribution Reading to Seniors • Recycling • Patron Services Projects • Sewing Shelf Reading • Shelving
125 Virginian Lane • Jackson WY 83001 • 307-733-2164 • TCLib.org HOURS Mon through Thurs 10 am - 8 pm • Fri 10 am - 5:30 pm Sat and Sun 1 pm - 5 pm • Closed Legal Holidays 234264
at Teton Orthopaedics who’s been volunteering at the clinic from the start. “The patients really appreciate it.” The volunteers see 25 to 30 patients most weeks, treating everything from sprained joints to chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. To qualify, patients must live or work in Teton County, not have health insurance and make less than 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold, i.e., $22,340 for an unmarried person. The clinic is able to provide some medications for free and also gets help from St. John’s Medical Center, which is right next door. The hospital provides lab and imaging services to patients at no charge — a total value of $40,000 last year alone. Patients who need additional medical care, such as surgery, can sometimes work out deals with doctors. For example, the clinic was able to find a doctor at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center who performed brain surgery on one patient at no cost, Saurman said. Despite the current group of committed volunteers and outside assistance, the clinic could still use additional help. Clinic Director Amy Adams said they are always looking for more volunteers, particularly those with a medical background, as well as more funding. The clinic is primarily financed through private donors and Old Bill’s Fun Run. “How can we inspire the rest of the community to get involved?” she said. For information about clinic services, volunteering or donating, go online to www.tetonfreeclinic.org or call 739-7492.
UPCOMING EVENTS: TCL Book Sale May 17-20, 2012 The Virginian Conference Center 750 W. Broadway Ave. Thursday 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Friday 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Please bring your own bag for books! The Book Sale needs volunteers! No need to stay all day, all we ask is two or three hours of your time.
Volunteer Appreciation Party Saturday, June 23 5:30-8 p.m. Powderhorn Park Celebrate the work you do at the 4th Annual Friends & Staff Mixer!
T E T O N C O U N T Y L I B R A RY FOUNDATION Your donations to the Teton County Library Foundation make library programs & enhancements possible
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 5
NEWS&GUIDE FILE PHOTO
Broncs Mike Mattheis and Wade Sanford celebrate Sanford’s game-winning free throw in the West Regional basketball tournament in 1989. Today, as a volunteer, Mattheis helps coach the Broncs girls basketball team and runs a youth football program he co-founded.
Coach is ultimate
team player
After being coached by others, former high school standout gives his time. By Johanna Love
I
n photographs of the Jackson Hole High School girls basketball games, assistant coach Mike Mattheis is often just out of the frame. But he’s always there. For the past eight years, Mattheis, 41, has volunteered his time to be an assistant coach. He goes to every Broncs girls practice, every game, and travels hundreds of miles across the state with the team. “He’s been an integral part of the program,” Broncs girls coach Sean Shockley said. “He’s really important as far as the consistency, terminology. He’s another set of eyes. He knows exactly what I’m after.” Shockley and Mattheis have known each other for about 35 years, Shockley said, since the playground at Davey Jackson Elementary School. They are close enough that Mattheis is able to sense what a player needs to hear based on how Shockley talks to her, Shockley said. “He’s valuable at countering my emotions,” Shockley said. “If I’m too hard on a kid, he knows how to build them back up.” Mattheis said his “great relationship” with Shockley is what’s kept him in the post for so long. Mattheis loves the game and understands it, he said. “As a player, I wasn’t the biggest or strongest kid,” Mattheis said, “but I understood how to play the game, how to be a team player. I think that’s a lot of it, how to play as a team.” At the beginning of each practice, players drill on their individual skills, but during the bulk of practice, they work on team strategies. “I think that’s why we’ve been super successful,” Mattheis said. The Broncs girls have won four straight state championships. “That’s fun. I love see-
Kay Mattheis / courtesy photo
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE
Mattheis, seen here playing with The Elks baseball team in 1983, remembers all the coaches who made sports fun and “pushed me to be better.”
Mattheis goes to every Broncs girls basketball team practice, every game, and travels hundreds of miles across the state with the team.
ing those kids win.” Growing up in Jackson, Mattheis was coached by many people who devoted their time to his personal and athletic development: Rudy Sanford, Bob Baldock, Verlyn Hoagland, Steve Hardeman and his father, Gary Mattheis. He played football, baseball and basketball and raced with the Jackson Hole Ski Club. What he remembers about those years is coaches who made sports fun and “pushed me to be better.” After graduating from Jackson Hole High School as a varsity basketball player in 1989, Mattheis attended college at Notre Dame, playing on intramural teams and coaching a women’s intramural basketball team. When he returned to Jackson,
Mattheis and friend Wade Sanford helped basketball coach Les Bishop run practices for a year. Then, eight years ago, when Shockley took over the girls team, Mattheis helped with some practices. Seven years ago, he was asked to be a full-time volunteer assistant coach. As a Realtor back then, and for the past five years as owner of Town Square Tavern with his brother, Steve Mattheis, Mike Mattheis has had jobs flexible enough to spend the time needed during basketball’s long season. “People sometimes think that I’m crazy for putting all that time in,” Mattheis said, “but it’s giving back to the community that I grew up in.” Seven years ago, Mattheis teamed with Rich McCain and Jay Anderson to start the Jackson Hole Youth Football
program for students in fourth through sixth grades. That keeps him busy all fall before basketball begins. “Those kids make me feel young,” he said. Basketball is where his heart is, though. Many of his friends and fellow town league basketball players, like McCain and Mel Orchard, also volunteer. “When you know the other coaches,” Mattheis said, “you know a lot of the kids, it’s easy to want to be involved.” And the sport brings all ages of Broncs to the gym on frosty evenings, he said. “The coaches who coached me when I was young still come to the games and coach me on my coaching.”
6 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Being there at the
end of life Hospice volunteers provide practical and emotional support to patients, families. By Jennifer Dorsey
C
hris Englund has many good memories from his 15-plus years as a volunteer for Hospice of the Tetons, but one stands out as his proudest. It was the day he spent at the home of a terminally ill patient whose family wanted to drive over to Idaho Falls to go shopping. “I spent 13 or 14 hours with the client,” Englund said. “The family told me it was the first time in two and half years they had had a day off from being caregivers. That I really, really liked.” Englund is one of two dozen men and women who help Teton residents enjoy a good quality of life in their last days — or weeks, or months — and who also assist their loved ones. The job takes volunteers into people’s homes — and also to St. John’s Medical Center and the Living Center — and it is endless in variety, from baby-sitting grandchildren and doing laundry to sitting by the bedside of a dying man or woman.
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE
Chris Englund has volunteered with Hospice of the Tetons for more than 15 years. “All caregivers go straight to heaven,” Englund said. “Even the atheists.”
Bette Caesar has read to patients — “Valley So Sweet” and “All Things Great and Small” are among her favorites — baked cookies with them, worked with them on the computer, taken them on drives to spot wildlife, sat on the porch with them listening to birds and rubbed lotion onto hands
and arms. “Sometimes I just hold their hand,” she said. Debbie Phillips once spent an hour before work each day at the hospital with a dying man who had no family in town and didn’t want to be alone. See BEING THERE on 7
Loyalty Thank You To Our Wonderful Grand Teton Music Festival Volunteers! We’d like to express our deepest gratitude to our Board and Committee Members, Festival Auxiliary, Office Volunteers, Usher Corps, Jackson Hole Wine Auction Volunteers, Music In The Hole Volunteers, and all who have given their time and talent to the Grand Teton Music Festival. We applaud your efforts— without you, our programs would be not possible.
Thank You to our Jackson volunteers!
2012 Summer Season: July 4 - August 18 Tickets on sale now! 307-733-1128 • www.gtmf.org 234233
Amy Golightly, Michelle Kren, Lani Matthews & Kevin Pusey
Please proof and call Amy at 739-9542 or return via Fax at 733-2138. Thanks!
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BEING THERE Continued from 6
Other days have required more mundane tasks, like making meals. “Whatever is needed, we pitch in and do it,” Phillips said. “We know we’re going to embrace whatever we find that day. We’re there to make their life more comfortable.” Formally defined by the Hospice Foundation of America, hospice is “a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life-limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments.” While pain management and physical comfort are key, there’s an emphasis, too, on helping the sick person live as fully as possible. “The focus is really on how to live each day to the best of their ability and the way they want to,” said Wendy Wolf, who coordinates the Tetons program. “It’s also designed for not just the person who’s ill but for the family.” While doctors, nurses, aides and therapists provide professionallevel services, the volunteers in the Hospice of the Tetons program are “the backbone that provide anything that’s nonmedical,” Wolf said. “These are people who are willing to enter people’s lives at one of the most fragile times for the patient and their family,” she said. “They are some of the most courageous and bighearted people.” Volunteers don’t just breeze into the program. Before meeting hospice clients, they are required to go through 32 hours of training that covers, among other things, the philosophy of hospice, boundaries and ethical issues, the role of volunteers and their own “issues” with death. “It’s a mini death and dying course,” Wolf said. “You’re walking into such fragile territory that if you
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 7 don’t have a sense of who you are and where you are with living and dying, it’s harder.” Phillips said the training gave her “peace and understanding.” “It’s a realization we all get older and an understanding that aging and death are part of the natural life process, and not to fear it but to embrace Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers of the Senior Center. it,” she said. Hospice clients, too, have their Everything you do, large or small, all have meaning to our own ways of embracing — or not — seniors, their families & to us. You make all the difference! their last days. Englund said he has met patients who want to reflect with him on their life and legacy. Others just want a good chat, like the man who was eager to share his hunting stories with him. When clients are in an upbeat mood, Englund will laugh and joke with them. Whatever a person needs. ENIOR ENTER “When they want to talk, the world OF JACKSON HOLE is their oyster,” he said. 234207 Englund has met adamant atheists and devoutly religious people during his years of hospice volunteering. “We honor every faith and make absolutely no judgments,” he said. “We will listen to what they say and give anything they say value. It’s their process they’re going through, not ours. What they really want is validation of what’s important to them, and I just love doing that.” Please remember us Given hospice’s connection with death, it might seem like depressing when making your volunteer work, but those involved say it’s anything but. Old Bill’s donations “Yes, there are sad times, profoundly, for the volunteers and their clients,” Englund said, “but believe it or not, there are joyful times.” And whether the mood is light or dark, hospice volunteers feel priviIf you are interested in volunteering at Fair this year, leged to be trusted to be with people at one of the most important transiplease contact the Fair Office at 733-5289. tions in the human experience. “It’s truly an honor to be with someone at the end of their life,” 234349 Caesar said.
Thank you S
C
Celebrating 30 years of serving seniors
JULY 25 - JULY 29, 2012
Thank you to our many volunteers. We couldn’t do it without you!
“WE OFTEN TAKE FOR GRANTED THE VERY THINGS THAT MOST DESERVE OUR GRATITUDE.” -Cynthia Ozick
Thanks to all who volunteered for the Art Association in 2011, we are here because of you and look forward to an art filled 2012!
the Center for the Arts presents world
If you'd like to join the most creative volunteers in the valley contact steph@artassociation.org. Perks include discounts towards classes and sneak previews of what we are up to.
members of the Board of Directors who
No time to volunteer? No problemo. Support us by coming to an evening of off-season specials at the Q Roadhouse and the Rendezvous Bistro April 16 - 22.
that the Center remains the community
class entertainment to the community. We wish to thank the Volunteers and the valued dedicate their time and efforts to ensure gathering place for Jackson Hole.
307.733.6379
A StAnding OvAtiOn fOr
www.artassociation.org 234243
our Volunteers!
Read Hole Health! Jackson Hole’s most comprehensive health-related supplement looks at traditional and alternative health care choices. lth
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8 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Service is the
business of clubs Rotary, Soroptimists, Kiwanis, Lions raise thousands of dollars to support community causes. By Mark Huffman
I
t’s not just about pancake breakfasts, though it seems sometimes that every service organization has one. No, it’s a chance to meet people. And an opportunity to raise cash for worthy causes by every method you can think of, from the oldest event in the area, the Lions Club’s 49er Ball, to the goofiest, the Kiwanis Follies. Service clubs in Jackson have hundreds of members, and without them community charities would be much poorer, less able to meet the needs people can’t pay for themselves and that the government also won’t fill. Like many service club members, Jim McNutt, president of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole, joined to network and make friends with people involved in every government agency, business and nonprofit in Teton County. A Rotary meeting “lets you meet people and to hear about the diverse programs other people bring to these events. ... It’s great for information. You’re always learning about what’s happening in the community.” “I wanted to meet other women and figure out a way to volunteer,” president Anne Shuler said of her reasons for joining Soroptimist International of Jackson. “I’ve met a lot of people who are interested in giving something back.” Garth Dowling, vice president of the Jackson Kiwanis, agreed: “Kiwanis is an excellent opportunity for members to support groups in the area that are interested in the education, welfare and development of the town and its children.” Michael Schrotz, a Jackson Hole Lions Club board member, said its 25 members are inspired by “a sense of giving back to the community. ... If I want to help others, I can’t write a check for $5,000 or $10,000, but the Lions can have an event to do that. ... Many people don’t even know the Lions is helping them, but we do it.” Getting the job done is satisfying, but it is often a challenge, with so many things competing for time. Schrotz made a special plea for his group and all the service clubs in the valley: “All the volunteer clubs have a hard time with membership, everybody is too busy,” he said. “But we work to get this stuff done, because it’s important to the community.” Money is vital, he said, but “a check isn’t going to flip the pancake. ... We need people to come over to the other side of the grill for an hour” to keep the work going. Here’s an introduction to Jackson Hole’s service groups and some of what they do.
Rotary Of 1.3 million Rotarians worldwide, there are about 250 in Jackson Hole. They run a huge Wine Fest every May, their biggest fundraiser, an event that “takes a
Ellen and Richard Tambor dance the night away at the 2010 Lion
BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE FILE
Bernie Williams pours a taste of a red wine from Wild West Wines & Spirits for Cara Kelly in 2009 during Rotary Club’s 21st annual Wine Fest at Snow King Center.
tremendous amount of work,” McNutt said. Rotary events raised about $90,000 last year, providing $60,000 in scholarships for about 30 students. Rotary’s three subgroups also operate exchange programs for students and business people; work in the town clean-up; run a booth at Music in the Hole; provided more than 5,000 meals last year at Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church; contributed to disaster relief for Japan and Joplin, Mo., after natural disasters; and supported Rotary International’s anti-polio effort, which has come close to eradicating the disease. Learn about Rotary Club of Jackson Hole, the largest group of Rotarians, at www.jacksonholerotary.com, or about Rotary Supper Club of Jackson Hole (president Jack Daily) at www.rcjhsupperclub.org and Rotary Breakfast Club of Jackson Hole (Neil Ford, treasurer) at 734-0290 or g-ford@juno.com.
Soroptimist Soroptimist International is the largest women’s service group in the world. The 40 Soroptimists in Jackson continue one of the area’s oldest traditions, the Christmas Tree Festival, held each December for the past 30 years. Members elaborately decorate trees and wreaths, auction them and spread the proceeds among women and girls as scholarship and grants. Last year, the event raised more than $30,000. The club lost money on its first Bras for a Cause sale — done with models, runway style — but the event caught on, and last year the sale brought in $35,000. “The money goes to the St. John’s Hospital Women’s Health Care Fund and the Wyoming chapter of Susan G. Komen, both for breast cancer research and support,”
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE FILE
Alexa Masek models “Pink-a-Licious,” which tied for highest bid at $1,500 at the Soroptimists’ 2010 Bras for a Cause fundraiser.
Shuler said. Like many members, Shuler said she was just looking to make some friends, but found the friendship is strengthened by the group’s community work: “There’s a lot of camaraderie ... and it’s nice to be able to give back.”
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 9
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE FILe
ns Club 49er Ball at The Virginian Lodge. “It’s just fun,” Ellen Tambor said. “We like getting dressed up.”
concerned with the education, welfare and development of the valley’s children. Two such organizations Kiwanis supports are the Van Vleck House and Red Top Meadows, which are both involved with troubled youth. The annual Kiwanis Follies is the group’s big fundraiser, a burlesque-style show that lampoons the people and events of the valley. It’s a year-round effort, and “the week before the follies, almost no member of Kiwanis gets any work done in their real jobs.” Contact Dowling at gdowling@wyoming.com or check the website at www.kiwanisofjacksonhole.org.
Lions The Lions Club of Jackson’s early group disbanded, but a new incarnation arose in 1971. Jackson Hole Lions Club runs the annual 49er Ball, a winter party held almost every year since 1896, encouraging attendees to dress in their best Old West finery. Lions put up about 260 U.S. flags all around Jackson for eight holidays a year, collecting a $45 sponsorship for each flag, mostly from nearby businesses. Lions also run a food booth serving breakfast and dinner at the county fair. About $30,000 raised last year went to help people who needed support because of accident or illness, and to support a traditional Lions project, eye care, both in this area and around the world. Call Michael Schrotz at 734-8226 or find the club on Facebook.
And more ... PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE FILe
David Ottley, Garth Dowling, David Auge, Mark Hassler and Mike Randall perform the CanCan’t during the finale of the 2011 Kiwanis Follies. The annual laugh fest spoofs valley events of the past year.
Kiwanis Jackson Kiwanis has only about 15 members these days. Dowling calls the group “small but mighty.” They focus on kids. That has included about $1,500 in scholarships for high school seniors last year, helping pre-
pare a room for children making long stays at St. John’s Medical Center, and working with police and fire departments on inspecting child car seats at the county fair and the health fair. Dowling said the club also supports other groups
Other service groups in the area include the Jackson Hole Jaycees, who sell Christmas trees and run a July Fourth pancake breakfast to award scholarships and orchestrate the Fire in the Hole July 4 fireworks show (contact them at www.facebook.com/jacksonholejaycees); the Jackson Elks Lodge No. 1713, which provides mutual aid and awards scholarships (call 733-1713); and the Jackson Hole Masonic Lodge No. 48 (email at secretary@ jacksonholemasons.com).
INSPIRE I NVE ST ENRICH
10 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
When we invest our time, we all become philanthropists and enrich our community. Whether you want to answer a hotline, inspire a young reader or plan an event, you will find the perfect match at Volunteer Jackson Hole. Visit www.volunteerjacksonhole.org, the Community Foundation’s free online service.
IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC LEADERSHIP %AST 3IMPSON 3TREET s 0/ "OX *ACKSON 79 s WWW CFJACKSONHOLE ORG s WWW VOLUNTEERJACKSONHOLE ORG s WWW OLDBILLS ORG 231744
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 11
Join Jackson’s #1 Women’s Service Organization Soroptimist International “The Best for Women”
• Help organize fundraising events • Network with other women in business • Meet new friends • Volunteer your time helping women & children in Jackson Hole!
Contact Karen Brennan for more info 307-413-6772
233170
Volunteers Needed
for Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Association
No horse knowledge or experience necessary.
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE
facebook.com/jhtrajackson youtube.com/jhtra1993
–––––––––––––––– For a complete listing of opportunities, visit our website www.jhtra.org –––––––––––––––– For more details call Volunteer Coordinator, Kristina Scarff (307) 733-1374 or jhtra.volunteer@gmail.com
Even after falling in love with Flynn and adopting him, Sarah Wines still fosters homeless dogs for the Animal Adoption Center.
Serial dog dater settles down Wines fostered more than 61 dogs before finding ‘the one.’ By Brielle Schaeffer
J
ackson resident Sarah Wines has spent the night with Max, Sparky and Choco. She has also taken Liberty, Greta, Scooter and Daisy home with her. But that was all before she fell in love with Flynn. Wines has fostered more than 61 dogs through the Animal Adoption Center during the past five years. “I just love that I’m helping these homeless animals find a home,” said the certified public accountant and St. John’s Medical Center employee. Wines made a home for 2-year-old mutt Flynn last August after fostering him for a week. She wasn’t expecting to get a dog, but the laid-back pup charmed her. “He was so easy,” Wines said. “I really liked his demeanor.” Foster volunteers care for dogs awaiting adoption when the center is not open, like in the evenings or on weekends, said Animal Adoption Center operations manger Lindsay Goldring. “Sarah has been helping for years,” she said. “Our fosters are our lifeblood.” The center provides foster volunteers with food, toys, bones and a neon “adopt me” vest, she said. “Every single dog goes home every single night,” she said. “Fostering is a good way to get to know dogs and ‘date’ dogs to see what dogs suit your fancy.” Wines said she started fostering canines as a way for her yellow lab, Suzie, to have some playmates. Suzie died in 2010, and Wines continued taking dogs home for the night. “It’s so much easier for them to get adopted after they’ve been in a house,” she said.
Also, Wines is able to tell the center more about each dog’s habits, like if it is housebroken or likes to chew on things or climb on furniture Max, a retriever mix she cared for, was getting physically stressed out at the center, she said. But after she took care of him, he got adopted. It’s a point of pride with her that most of the dogs she has fostered have found homes. Daisy, a basset mix, was adopted from the center and then moved to California with her new owner. “Now she’s a beach bum,” Wines said. Sometimes she sees her fosters around town, but they go by different names. “They don’t keep in touch,” she joked. Originally from Miami, Wines moved to Wyoming in 2001 to go cross-country skiing for a winter after college. She never left. She likes to hike, ski and enjoy the area, she said. In that way, she and Flynn are two peas in a pod. “He likes everything Jackson has to offer, too,” Wines said. “Except water. He’s petrified of water. We’re working on that.” Flynn’s personality has “changed so much,” she said. Before, he was so shy he wouldn’t even get in the car. Now he loves to go for rides, play with other dogs and chase the neighbor’s urban chickens. “It’s great to have something to come home to,” Wines said. “Even the days you don’t want to get out, you have to, because he’s raring to go.” The center is always looking for volunteers, from foster parents to dog walkers to cat cuddlers, she said. Visit the adoption center’s website, www.animaladoptioncenter.org, for information.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JACKSON HOLE Thanks and Recognizes the volunteers who serve to enable the church’s Outreach Programs, including:
Wednesday Fellowship Dinners • Food prep • Table set up • Clean up • Cooks
Community Garden Work a garden plot and donate 10% of your bounty to a worthy cause
Jesus Oriented Youth in JH Summer Camp Leaders in Training: Local students entering 6th-10th grades
Upward Basketball Coaches and Referees
If you would like to volunteer to serve, visit us at www.pcjh.org or the www.cfjh.org website or call the Presbyterian Church office
734-0388 233460
Visit us online at
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Upcoming Volunteer Training Dates: SATURDAY, APRIL 21ST, 10AM-12PM MONDAY, APRIL 30TH, 9AM-11AM
12 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE
Mackenzie Walles plays with her son, Cayden, 3, at the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum on April 6. Walles serves on the museum’s board.
All those in favor, say ‘aye’ Jackson Hole’s board members take action to serve nonprofits. By Cory Hatch
L
ast November, when the residents of Bar Y Estates asked for help removing a barbed wire fence along Highway 22, Wilson resident Bob Kopp marshaled not only his forces, but also his wire cutters. Kopp, president of the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation board of directors, isn’t the kind to hide behind Robert’s Rules of Order. The most enjoyable part of his post is “being out there and pulling fence,” he said. “I just love getting out there and getting my hands dirty.” For Kopp, who moved to Jackson Hole in 2009 from Albany, N.Y., where he also volunteered, the foundation was perfect to fill his need to contribute to his new community. “When I moved to town full time, I was looking to get involved here,” he said. “I was impressed by the fact that they were action-oriented, not policyoriented. It was really making a difference in protecting wildlife in this area. It’s a precious resource and the reason why a lot of us have chosen to live here.” Kopp’s philosophy is common among members of the various nonprofit boards in Jackson Hole: a desire to do good work steeled by the drive to
take action. The same holds true for Mackenzie Walles, a member of the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum board. When KJ and Craig Morris came up with the idea for a place where parents and caregivers could play, learn and explore with their children, Walles jumped at the opportunity to help. “We were all sort of noticing that we have so many things in this valley for our children to do, but they’re expensive and they’re at set times,” Walles said. The founders of the museum wanted a place that was accessible to families that might not be able to afford other activities for children. “We would get together about once a week,” Walles said. “We formed committees. It was all volunteers working on exhibits, marketing and fundraising.” After the town of Jackson helped with a dollar-a-year lease on the museum building downtown, the idea took form, and the museum opened to the public last November. This April, it saw its 7,000th visitor. As a member of the executive committee, Walles specializes in fundraising. Any money brought in that doesn’t go towards exhibits, staff or upkeep
goes toward scholarships for local families in need. Outreach efforts aim to involve the Latino community and other groups in Jackson Hole. “We’re really working on making this a place for our entire community,” Walles said. For Lisa Rullman, serving on the board of the Teton chapter of Habitat for Humanity is a matter of not only community spirit but also faith. “It’s part of my personal religious beliefs to do what we can for others,” she said. “And I think Habitat is one of the best organizations there is for ending poverty.” Rullman, who is secretary of the board’s executive committee, has served Habitat for five years. “The organization has been growing in recent years,” she said. “We know the need is great in the community, and we’re doing everything in our power to meet that challenge.” In addition to helping the board with strategic planning — the group hopes to build a minimum of 25 new dwellings by 2016 — Rullman stays busy outside the boardroom. While one of her proudest moments was learning to swing a hammer, “I’m better off with my talents feeding the vol-
unteers from time to time,” she said. Rullman also helps with outreach to local churches. In other communities, churches drive Habitat for Humanity’s efforts, and Rullman hopes to generate that kind of support in Jackson Hole. “Recently, some of the churches have helped us tremendously by housing volunteers,” she said. “We have big groups that come through. It’s heartbreaking to have to turn volunteers away because we can’t find a place for them to sleep.” Kopp said it is heartening to come to a community where service is an ethic that’s so widespread. “This is an amazing town we live in,” he said. “The biggest thing that I see is that people are basically living here because they want to live here. A lot of people make sacrifices. You see their passion and commitment to their community. It’s what makes Jackson special.” To learn about the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, Jackson Hole Children’s Museum and Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Teton Area, visit www.jhwildlife.org, www. jhchildrensmuseum.org or www. tetonhabitat.org.
Teton Literacy Center thanks and applauds our volunteers for their excellent service and dedication.
234242
Abi Arnold Ainsley Cooper Alicia Cox Allison Frederick Alison Jones Alyson Klaczkiewicz Amanda Benavides Ana Rode & Family Andria Clancy* Andrea Evans Andrew Carson Andrew Wilson Ann Carruth Anne Fish Anne Schuler Annie McNulty
Cheryl Brown Christine Franzeim Claudia Bonnist* Barb Huhn Corey Fifles Barbara Trachtenberg David Hewat Ben Manzano Debbie LaJeunesse Bernadette Cuvalo Derek Stal Bethany Ankerson Dorothy Tanner Bev Menghetti Doug Hayden Bill Maloney* Dustin Nichols Schmolze Billy Oppenheim George Hein Biz Doyle Grace Robertson Bob McLaurin* Gustavo Suclla Bob Moeller Hanacke Offutt Brad Campbell Heather Hamilton-Brown James D. Hand Brian Smith James Radda Carol Maloney Jamie Dunn Caroline Hudnut Jamie Lavenstein Ceci Clover*
James Mathieu* Jamie Turner Jane Kusek Jeff Dickerson Jennifer Conwell Jenny Spence Barkley Jessica Chambers JJ Gill John Fox Julia Kirby Jade Walsh* Katie Matthies Katie Murray Keely Castor Kelli Ward Kit Hughes* Kris Gridley Kristina Smith Laura Remmy
Laura Yungmeyer Leif Huot Lindsey Anderson Lisa Ryan Lori Clark-Erickson Louis Centrella Louis Smithwick Mackenzie Moore Mark Hannon Marsha Wackerly Matt Rodosky* Marva Duke Mike Shaeffer Molly Perlman Myra Dorros* Nancy Carson Nina Resor Noah Nicole Barnhart Patty Tucker
THANK YOU! Paul Hansen* Petria Horner Fossel Pier Trudelle Polly Warner Randy Reedy Reagan Warsinske Rebecca J. Edge Robert Biolchini Jr.* Robyn Reedy Rosa Sanchez Rose Caiazzo Rose Novak Rosemary McIntosh Sabrina Jourden Sam Hartnett
Samantha Danahy Sandy Strout Sarah Kerr Scooter Gill Stephanie LaMeer Steve Melanson Sue Hebberger Susan DeMuro Teresa Griswold Tim Cline*
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, email volunteer@tetonliteracy.org or call 307-733-9242.
Tom Mann Tony Mendes Tris Dunn Valerie Conger Van Driessen Victor Herndandez Wilden McIntosh-Round *Board Members
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 13
Best gigs involve access
Classical concerts, dance performances, ski passes top perks of most-sought-after posts. By Katy Niner
T
he natural and cultural backdrop of Jackson Hole affords ample opportunities for volunteerism with rewards. Perks include skiing around Rendezvous Mountain all day or attending events staged at the Center for the Arts and Walk Festival Hall. Here is a trio of rewarding roles.
Alpine ambassadors “What’s the easiest way down?” This is the No. 1 question asked of Andy Zimmerman, a volunteer mountain host at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Runners-up are where to find lunch or a drink. This season, the resort enlisted approximately 65 mountain hosts, a volunteer position that offers the perk of a season pass and days roving around the mountain.
BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski host Andy Zimmerman gives advice to visitors on where to find the best snow April 5 at the top of the Bridger Gondola. This was Zimmerman’s first year volunteering as a host at the resort.
Zimmerman heard about the gig from friends who are hosts. Having spent four winters in food and beverage service at the mountain, Zimmerman interviewed to become a host last fall. According to the resort, this winter 50 people expressed interest in becoming hosts, 30 applied and between 15 and 20 were hired. Zimmerman’s rookie season began with training — first aid, CPR — and then he shadowed a seasoned host in the early winter. All winter long, Zimmerman enjoyed interacting with the public and his resort peers. Beyond guiding guests, hosts work closely with mountain operations and ski patrol. With ski patrol stationed high on the mountain — skiing down to an accident affords the quickest response — mountain hosts look out for issues down low. When they see a crash, they radio ski patrol. On duty twice a week, Zimmerman begins his day
with a mountain host meeting at 8 a.m. The crew is fun and diverse, Zimmerman said, from people with five jobs to retirees. All amicable and well-rounded, the hosts become a “brotherhood,” Zimmerman said, which means banter runs high in the morning. “The true light of the mountain hosts’ diversity comes out in those early morning meetings,” Zimmerman said. Generation gaps are playfully bridged, new lingo defined. “We have a lot of fun.” Each host is assigned to a specific area, like Apres Vous in the morning, Thunder in the afternoon. A given region will have one to four hosts assigned to it. For Zimmerman, the toughest part of the job is juggling hosting with his paid nighttime jobs — a predicament his young peers also found themselves in. “Some days, you ski nearly 30,000 vertical feet, See BEST GIGS on 14
Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Volunteers Standing By For You
Town of Jackson St 1 Cpt Eric Borgeson Chris Betsinger Riclyn Betsinger Valerie Blair Henry Cadwalader Greg Cooljian Teresa deGroh Matt Goewert Bobbi Heikkila Rick Kortum Frank Lane Brad Larson Drew Rush Leo Sanchez Kevin Salys Veronica Schreibeis Amanda Soliday Melissa Thomasma Brad Watsabaugh
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Town of Wilson St 2 Cpt Robert Moomey Shayne Hansen Tim Harland Dean Jarvie Russchelle Jones Heath Kuszak Chris Mommsen Brian Moore Steve Poole
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all events • arts & entertainment • community • sports • organizations
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Jackson Hole calendar
Cpt Mike Mayer Cpt Dave Schwindt Cpt Mike Trumbower Lt Todd Fitzgerald Frank Becker Dave Cernicek Mary Cernicek Janet Palermo Lisa Potzernitz Forrest Sandberg Bernd Sieber Tom Toolson
Moran Area St 4
Cpt Mack McFarland Tom Getler Erik Kimball Phillip Lamoureux Cam Preuss Larry Robinson Logan Steffens Giovanni Tabacchi Chris Tacke James Warren
Pines/Wilson Area St 6 Cpt Tom Mason Cpt Steve Moomey Louise Gignoux Bill Hade Jim Knoke Remy Levy Chris Littman Nathan Lundquist Tina Martinez Connor Quinn Brenda Sherwin Kelly Stirn David Wheeler
Adams Canyon St 7 Cpt Rob Dearing Lt Matt Redwine Carlo Acacio Ray Brence Clay Geittmann John Gonnella Joe Kravetsky John LaBrec Jim Little, Jr Ben Mateosky Anthony Rojo Matt Somers Mike Sullivan Bill Van Gelder Sam Zuckerman
These names represent the men and women who give up time with family and friends to serve the community. 8,753 Total Hours trained in 2011 335 Total Fire calls in 2011 1,087 Total EMS calls in 2011
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Personal Sacrifice for the Good of the Whole
14 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
BEST GIGS
Ushers have been a part of the festival family since the concert hall first opened in 1974.
Continued from 13
and then you bartend or barback all night,” he said. Even so, Zimmerman loved being a mountain host and plans to re-enlist. “You are having a great time. You are skiing all day,” he said. “Sure, you are putting your time in, but you are on skis. I think most of the people enjoy making sure others are having a good vacation.”
Center of it all
Usher an experience Robin Christensen and Dennis Conley have attended more concerts than they can count since joining the Grand Teton Music Festival’s usher corps 15 years ago. For the couple, volunteering with the festival is a way to give back to the arts community in Jackson Hole. “We feel it is important to give a contribution of our time and show our appreciation to a group that enriches the valley,” they wrote in an email. Ushering has nurtured their appreciation of classical music. “As a result of being exposed to such talented musicians, our understanding of music has been enhanced and broadened in a way that would not have occurred otherwise,” they said. “Getting to know the musicians over a long period of time has enriched our lives and is one of our favorite aspects of helping the festival,” they said. “They are able to share the joy of music with us directly.” Every year, the festival enlists an average of 90
BRADLY J. BONER / NEWS&GUIDE
Andy Zimmerman samples the goods while volunteering as a ski host April 5 at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Zimmerman said the best part of being a ski host is getting an assignment as a “rover,” when he gets to go from place to place around the mountain.
ushers. “They are the face of the festival on concert evenings and welcome patrons with warm greetings,” Mike Swanson, codirector of marketing, said. Ushers arrive an hour before concerts start. They perform a variety of vital tasks. They distribute programs. They assist specialneed patrons who require the wheelchair lift to access mid-level ADA seating. They collect ticket stubs and help patrons find their seats. They report any customer service issues to the front of house manager, and they
make sure patrons abide by the festival’s policies of no cameras, no cellphones, and no video, food or drinks. Above all, they make sure the experience in Walk Festival Hall is as serene as possible. “They offer cough drops to those with scratchy throats or coughs and ease any other disturbances to the often subtle orchestral music that resonates in our hall,” Swanson said. “They make sure patrons who arrive late do not enter the hall in the middle of a movement, and then get them to their seats as quickly as possible when
there is a break. “Basically they are in charge of making sure our patrons get into the hall and have an enjoyable concert experience,” Swanson said. “Any complaints are usually quelled by the sound of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra.” The primary perk for ushers is the opportunity to enjoy most of the concert for which they volunteer, and they also receive a voucher to attend a future concert. The festival throws a thank-you barbecue for ushers at the end of each summer season.
At the Center for the Arts, 75 volunteers serve as “ambassadors for the arts” at each and every event staged at the Center. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization,” Nina Doggrell, the center’s customer service director, said. All told, in 2011, volunteers donated 1,900 hours of their time to help out with 100 events staged at the center. Dorothy Neckels, the volunteer of the year, logged 100 hours volunteering with the center. Doggrell applauded Neckels’ willingness to volunteer for events of all kinds, whether large or small, a children’s program or a touring act, a community event or a celebrity concert. Volunteers ensure that guests have a positive experience in the center. They fill a gamut of roles, from checking coats to ushering, working concessions to answering guest questions. Doggrell solicits volunteers for specific events by email. If several events are coming down the pike, she asks volunteers to pick one. Any given event enlists between 10 to 12 volunteers. The volunteer retention rate is high, so high, in fact, that many volunteers — like Neckels — signed on when the Center Theatre first opened in 2007. The positions are so coveted, the theater keeps a waiting list of prospective volunteers.
The Helping Hands of Hospital and Living Center Volunteers
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so.”
Proverbs 3:27
Thank You Volunteers for all you do!
If you want to raise your hand to help call 739-7541
St John’s 233169
VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 15
Ashley Wilkerson
Howdy Pardners volunteers Jesse O’Connor and son Liam, 9, offer a mimosa to Pete Graham, of Cambridge, Ontario, upon his arrival to the Jackson Hole airport.
Valley ambassador gives back O’Connor works to educate visitors, then volunteers as a greeter. By Angus M. Thuermer Jr.
R
esidents might wonder how Jesse O’Connor, landscape and natural history interpreter, maintains his exuberance during one of his 11-hour drives through Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Last summer he drove 110 trips, a personal record. If all of his ventures were filled with “wows” and generous tips, one could rationalize how he could find the energy to volunteer and greet visitors at Jackson Hole Airport in the winter. But ideal trips they all aren’t. Some go particularly poorly. Like the time he guided a busload of tourists without first finding out what line of work they were in. Rolling north behind the wheel, O’Connor recounted the stories behind the scenery. There’s the National Elk Refuge established in ... We are climbing Fish Hatchery Fault ... The Teton Range was uplifted like this, the Gros Ventre River flows like that. And then came the grazing cattle. Free-range, O’Connor expounded. Healthy. No hormones, no steroids. Better tasting than that feedlot offal.
Authenticity comes from community As he rolled toward Moran, O’Connor began to feel uneasy about the group behind him. “It was deadly silent,” he said. Highly unusual. Turns out he was escorting some national association of county feedlot engineers. He had just fed himself a big, fat foot. And there were nine hours to go. “My heart wasn’t in it,” O’Connor said of his worst day as a Jackson Hole ambassador. Nor were there tips for the driver. Anyone else might have gone back to waiting tables, O’Connor’s former profession. Or wouldn’t have the energy to face even more outsiders after hours. This winter he was at the airport in his trademark cowboy hat and duster, pouring mimosas for the freshly arrived, greeting them with an earnest smile and ready to answer questions. He’s part of the Howdy Pardners posse, volunteers who welcome some of the millions who travel through the valley every year.
“It’s so gratifying to say, ‘Welcome to our community,’ ” O’Connor said. “I believe in volunteering because I’m invested in my community.” That investment began after he moved from Michigan to Casper in 1979, then came to climb the Middle Teton for his 21st birthday. A kegger up Mosquito Creek followed, and he met a bunch of young outdoor types there. “There was a light in people’s eyes,” he said. “I wanted what they had. I wanted the life that was to be found here.” After his second trip here, a climb of Teewinot Mountain became a life-changing moment. Peter Stiegler offered him a job waiting tables for the upcoming winter season, and until then he cleaned condos and was a substitute teacher. Later, he waited at The Cadillac Grille, singing the specials to his customers. The bright eyes lured him. “Every night I would go out and be the young wild thing,” he said. “I danced a lot, kayaked a lot.” O’Connor began to realize the ticking nature of time and life as youthful energy swirled around him. Many who came to play eventually twisted off, went home. He decided to invest. “Those people who are really captured by this community ... they want to share — not just take but feed,” he said. O’Connor had two years of college at a Michigan Christian school, and in 1988 he went to the University of Wyoming to get a teaching degree. Back in Jackson, working for the Jackson Hole Christian Academy, he began teaching art and music, volunteering for a field trip to Yellowstone.
Passion becomes a career “Kids started asking me questions,” he said. He answered. It was fun. “I think it went to my head,” he said. “I had guidebooks, a degree in elementary education.” Interpreting came naturally. He blended it with his next professions as a cabbie, a bus driver and an employee of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. He would drive, answer questions, even step on a tour bus to give a lecture. “It was almost accidental becoming an interpreter,” he said. “That’s really my passion: interpreting the landscape and history. Driving is how
Say howdy to the Howdies The Howdy Pardners are endangered, Jesse O’Connor says. When they started as a greeting group a couple of decades ago, there were so many volunteers the chamber had to turn people away. Today there are fewer than a dozen active members. “Something worries me this might be it,” O’Connor said of the most recent season at Jackson Hole Airport. If more people don’t join, the program might fade. Howdy Pardners meet at 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at The Virginian Lodge. Those interested in greeting visitors can attend a meeting or call Oly Olson at 413-4852. I get to do that.” He now drives for Alltrans. He draws authenticity from the community, knowing and reading the Charlie Craigheads, Jack Turners and other writers and historians. “I’ve not only read Lewis and Clark, I’ve walked in their footprints,” he said. O’Connor once repeated the controversial first ascent of the 13,770-foot Grand Teton in period clothing with hemp ropes. Regarding his Howdy outfit, he says, “I have driven cattle.” He lets his dialogue unfold with the scene. Light will inspire, as will animals. “I let the landscape be the star,” he said. “I’m pretty much a straight man.” Each busload brings with it new energy to keep him going. “It doesn’t get old,” he said. So far, he’s never left anyone behind. In addition to his Howdy Pardners work, O’Connor has been chairman of the Historic Preservation Board, served on the board of the Jackson Hole Chorale, directed his church choir and is the second-string bugler for the American Legion. He married Karen in 1991, and they are parents to Eireann, 13 and Liam, 9. The community has inspired me so much,” he said. “I’m sold. I enjoy being an ambassador for it. I’ve received so much, I’m grateful to give in return.”
16 - VALLEY VOLUNTEERS, Jackson Hole News&Guide, Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Thank You to our Volunteers The National Museum of Wildlife Art thanks our dedicated volunteers for their service this year. Truly, our volunteers make the difference! Museum Volunteers
Patricia Martin
Gallery Guides
Annabelle Lerch
Maryann Abrahams
Suzanne Matthews
Patricia Dempsey
Joanne Leusch
Ann Alsted
Dan Matzke
Joe DiFiglia
Jane Malashock
Des Jennings
Bob Martin
Charlotte Kidd
Pamela McCool
Carla Kussner
Cynthia Quast
Doug Landau
Ellen Sanford
Ron Stevens
Carol Schneebeck
Joan Baldwin Lucy Bayless Jan Benz Darlene Blazek Mary Ellen Bockius
Julie Matzke Marie Louise McCormack Teddie Lou McNamara Kathy Murphy
Jeannine Brown
Erika Muschaweck
Marsha Wackerly
Regina Schultz
Windy Campbell
Ann Nelson
Mary Willis
Caroline Taylor
Susan Chambers
Judy Pilgrim
Jayann Fordon
Norma Price
Docents
Martha Van Genderen
Sareta Gregory
Pam Sanders
Don Alsted
Mary Waid
Sharon Gunberg Jan Herbst Sally Johnson Diane Key
Heather Stolz Shannon Sullivan Kathy Tams
Bobbi Thomasma
Sally Berman Greg Brondos
Teen Volunteers
Susan Brooks
Vivian Eden
Jim Byrne
Tara Holmes
Meg Lally
Sarah Tams
Sally Byrne
Mitch Meisl
Harry Lawroski
Ken Thomasma
Lisa Carlin
Kinsley Smith
Mary Ann Lawroski
Matthew Wegher
Natalie Goss
Livy Lewis
Suzanne Whitmore
Marilyn Gschwind
Youth Volunteers
Georgia Ligori
Amber Williams
Gigi Halloran
Kamryn Lunde
John Wilson Volunteer of the Year
Louise Koegler
Gail Magid Roseanne Magid
Ann Keller
National Volunteer Week April 15 – 21 Celebrate National Volunteer Week and honor the volunteers in our community. Just mention this ad and the nonprofit organization you volunteer for to receive: • FREE admission to the Museum • 20% discount in the Museum Shop • 10% discount in the Rising Sage Café
Open Daily • (307) 733-5771 • WildlifeArt.org 233456