Volunteer Voice Newsletter (Fall 2019)

VOLUNTEERVOICE

FALL 2019 • PALATINE PARK DISTRICT

Celebrating the selfless individuals who channel their civic virtues through volunteerism.

PUBLIC LANDS DAY SERVICE INIITIATIVES:

Community Members Lend a Hand at Margreth Riemer Reservoir.

Every day, natural disasters, extreme weather, human activities and a host of other factors take their toll on our public lands, threatening the health and well-being of the people and wildlife who depend on them. Public land managers, volunteers and others who steward these special places work tirelessly to restore them, make them more resilient to future threats and ensure that people and wildlife continue to enjoy them for years to come.

September 28 marked the 26th anniversary of National Public Lands Day. The Palatine Park District Service Committee organized an environmental service project at Margreth Riemer Reservoir led by Alissa DePue and Glenn Hussey (co-leads) and assisted by staff members Dan Mangum, Josh Ludolph, and park’s employees Caleb and James.

EIGHTY FIVE community members braved the weather and cleaned up the trails, reservoir and disc golf course. In total, over 100 pounds of trash was collected and disposed of.

Joining us for the clean up was a corporate service project group from Target in Palatine plus numerous girl and boy scout packs. An environmental class from Palatine High School lent a hand by removing invasive plant species.

To learn more about other environmental stewardship projects, please contact Alissa DePue, Volunteer Coordinator at adepue@palatineparks.org or 847-496-6212.

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities Sign up today at volunteer.palatineparks.org Fall Fest Preppers – October 11 Fall Festival – October 12 Halloween Party – October 26 Palatine Chamber Expo – November 9 Parents Night Out – November 22 Turkey Trot Packet Pick Up – November 26 & 27 Turkey Trot – November 28

VOLUNTEER GALLERY

Fall Volunteer Highlights Thank you to the many volunteers who have provided service to our community over the spring and summer months. Service initiatives included serving at our Fishing Derby, Fiesta de Arlington, Goody Bag Stuffings, Hometown Fest, Electronics Recycling Event, Canine Carnival, Arlington Park Space Day, Falcon Park Open House, Feet Fest Packet Pick Up Days, Feet Fest Family Adventure Run, St. Peters Big Days of Service, and Oktoberfest.

Volunteers helped with greeting, concessions, recycling, managing games, packet pick-up, environmental stewardship, marketing, mascoting and handling mascots, registration, post parade clean up, obstacle tending, course marshaling, horse show set up, award distribution and goody bag stuffing.

Suanne—Clerical Volunteer

Suanne is back again this fall, volunteering in a clerical capacity during the hours her daughter is in school.

Note for staff, if you are in need of volunteer services, please contact Alissa DePue at adepue@palatineparks.org to be included on a schedule for assistance.

“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve…. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

GIVE THANKS

Words of Gratitude from our Staff to our Volunteers “Volunteers are unique in every way. While they volunteer for different reasons, one thing is constant. Volunteers have the intrinsic morale compass to give of their time, talents and energy to benefit others. Being a service organization with a mission to build a better community to live, work and play it is that intrinsic compass that is imperative to meeting our mission and making Palatine a great community.

Thank you for what you have done for us and for what you will do in the future.

We hope your experience with us will make you a lifelong volunteer­—no matter where your path takes you! What you do to help us daily is impactful, makes a difference and is appreciated by our Park Board and staff. We salute you!”

—Mike Clark, Executive Director

“To our volunteers, I’ve noticed how you treat our community members with respect and kindness. Your words and actions go a long way towards helping us demonstrate our mission of providing safe and enjoyable programming, parks and events. Thank you.”

—Alissa DePue, Volunteer Coordinator

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“Thank you so much for helping out with the Feet Fest event. I appreciate your assistance with our packet pick up and the event itself. Having amazing volunteers is integral to having a successful and fun event.”

—Alison Shariatzadeh, Recreation and Fitness Program Coordinator

“Kush G. is a fabulo us volunteer that I loo k forward to workin g with at each of our even ts. He’s d ependab and has a le great work ethic.”

— Lisa Sch roeder, Sp ecial Interest C oordinato r

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“Thank you to all the Electronics Recycling Event volunteers. Due to your efforts we were able to recycle 16,860 lbs. of paper and keep 27,924 lbs. of electronics out of landfills. Without your help this event could not happen.”

—Josh Ludolph, Assistant Superintendent of Facilities

“Our special events are positively enhanced when we have so many enthusiastic volunteers lending a hand.”

—Lisa Schroeder, Special Interest Coordinator

“A huge th anks to the volunteer cr (Scouts Da ews y of Service and St. Pete Day of Serv r’s ice) who he lped clean the stable’s up grounds, p aint portio fencing an ns of d set up fo r an upcom horse show ing . Your serv ice was inva and much luable appreciate d. You’re a welcome a lways t Palatine S tables.”

—Steve Nagl e, Superinte ndent of Fa cilities

“Having the aid of volunteers at our outreach tables in and around the community has been instrumental in forming better connections with our residents.”

—Michael Noens, Digital Marketing Coordinator, Communications and Marketing

all our “Thank you to on u are the reas Yo . rs ee volunt e ue to provid we can contin ests.” ice to our gu rv excellent se am tion Te —The Registra

“Our packet pick up volunteers were really helpful and enthusiastic. They are always friendly and willing to help with whatever task is given to them.”

—Mario Bialek, Assistant Customer Service Manager

SERVICE PROJECT AT PALATINE STABLES

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT STUDY

St. Peter’s Lends a Hand:

HOW DOES COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BENEFIT THE BUSINESS?

Saturday, September 21st St. Peter’s Big Day of Service included a group service project at Palatine Stables. Volunteers from St. Peter assisted stables staff with a grounds clean up after the park district’s Fall Camp Out, then prepared the indoor arena for an upcoming horse show. Following their service project, members of St. Peter enjoyed a stable tour, some photo ops and lunch!

Our thanks goes out to St. Peter’s volunteers for the assistance they provided and their dedication!

Interested in having Palatine Park District organize and host your group or corporate service project? Contact Volunteer Coordinator, Alissa DePue, at adepue@palatineparks.org or 847-496-6212.

Since 1995, the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship has studied how companies invest in communities and how these efforts connect to their businesses—and has published the findings in the Community Involvement study. Over the past 20 years, we’ve witnessed the role of community involvement evolve to become a strategic component of business.

The Community Involvement study finds that the majority of companies today report that community involvement contributes to key business goals, including improved reputation and the attraction and retention of employees. It also illuminates the important relationship between community involvement efforts— such as employee volunteer programs and corporate giving campaigns—to employee engagement.

The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship’s Community Involvement Study 2019 explores how companies are investing in communities and how these efforts connect to their business. The Center has conducted this survey 12 times since 1995 and, during this time, has seen how the role of community involvement has evolved to become an incredibly important strategic component of business.

As evidenced by findings from the 2019 study, companies are now, more than ever, committed to making their community involvement initiatives as strategic as they are impactful. For example, 2019 data reveals that: • Nearly all (95%) of companies surveyed have a community involvement strategy (including giving, volunteering, or both) or are in the process of setting one up, an increase of 13 percent from nearly 84% a decade ago. Most companies (95%) track participation in employee volunteer programs and have done so for years.

• A majority of companies surveyed (80%) offer a workplace giving program, and more than 70% of those that offer a program also offer a match when employees give cash. Fortythree percent offer a cash match for volunteer hours.

• More than 80% of respondents report that their companies align the social issues addressed in their community involvement efforts with their business priorities.

• Ninety-five percent of companies in the current study that measure the relationship between participation in employee volunteer programs and employee engagement scores have found a positive correlation.

• The percentage of companies that have a disaster relief program increased from 60% to 72% in the current study.

Source: Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship

WE CAN HELP YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT CORPORATE SERVICE PROJECT Corporate Social Responsibility: A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in the interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.

Employees who volunteer their time to company service projects believe their service: • Benefits them personally • Improves their ability to perform their work duties • Improves their ability to cope with job challenges • Develops contacts and skills that can be used on the job • Improves self-esteem and sense of pride

Benefits of demonstrating corporate social responsibility: • Altruistic intentions—good global citizens • Means of recruiting, motivating, and retaining employees • Customer and public relations

How Palatine Park District can help:

We can assist in organizing company service projects which demonstrate your company’s mission, values, and philosophy.

• Environmental Beautification Projects (plantings, landscaping, etc.)

• Stables Stewardship Programs • Corporate Clean Up Projects (graffiti, trails, parks) • Health and Wellness Events • Special Event Assistance

Alissa DePue Volunteer Coordinator

Email: adepue@palatineparks.org Phone: 847.496.6212

Volunteer Voice is a publication of Palatine Park District, 250 E. Wood Street, Palatine, IL, 847.991.0333, palatineparks.org.

Would you like to submit a comment or question or suggest an article idea to the editor? Contact Alissa DePue at adepue@palatineparks.org or 847.496.6212. For more information about the volunteer program, or to sign up, visit volunteer.palatineparks.org.