VOLUNTEERVOICE
WINTER 2020 • PALATINE PARK DISTRICT
Gratefully acknowledging the many individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference in our community. IN THE NEWS
Pesch Earns Honors The Clayson House and Museum in Palatine recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and offered a delightful Victorian Christmas experience for the community. The Clayson House is a Palatine Park District entity operated by Palatine Historical Society volunteers and museum coordinator, Linni Pesch. Prior to Pesch, longtime local historian Marilyn Pedersen undertook the restoration of The Clayson House in the 1970’s and was its primary steward until her passing in 2018. Pesch was an active volunteer when Pedersen passed away and was hired by the park district to replace her. Despite having enormous shoes to fill and a local legend to live up to, Pesch has almost single-handedly added a new vibrancy to The Clayson House. No small feat. Many on the team should be recognized as well including Joe Petykowski, Jan Degner, Denise Limburg, Carolyn Mangold, Susan Minott, Connie Rawa, Alice Rosenberg and others. Pesch has managed to surprise longtime supporters of the historical society with attendance at events, a dramatic increase in the number of visitors, and a spirit of success that is both admirable and impressive. She has “rallied the troops” with her “can do” spirit and her commitment to elevating The Clayson House to greater exposure, increased opportunities for participation, and a more visible role in the community. Though we all miss Marilyn dearly and deeply respect her efforts to rescue The Clayson House and transform it into what it is today, we are grateful that her legacy lives on in Pesch and her endeavors to bring it to the next level. The enthusiasm she generates with her Clayson’s Kids Days and her community outreach set new standards. Thank you and (Victorian!) hats off to Linni Pesch for her irrepressible spirit and contagious charm, from which our entire village and the surrounding area benefit! Source: Northwest Suburban Daily Herald
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Indoor Drive-In Movie Night – March 6 Hound Egg Hunt – April 4 Earth Day – April 18 Sign up today at Musical Matinee – April 22 volunteer.palatineparks.org Head to the Hills – April 25 Big Trucks – May 4
“Giving is the master key to sucess, in all applications of human life” -Bryant McGill
HONORING THOSE WHO SERVE
Volunteer Recognition Luncheon Each February, Palatine Park District hosts an annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon to recognize and celebrate the generous individuals who provide service to affiliate groups and associated organizations. Volunteers are chosen by each organization for their service during the previous calendar year. On Saturday, February 1, 2020, Palatine Park District recognized 18 volunteers for their service to affiliate groups and associated organizations. Additionally, two volunteers were highlighted with Volunteer Spotlight Awards and one individual was inducted into the Volunteer of the Year Honor Roll. 2019 Volunteers of the Year On Saturday, February 1, 2020, Palatine Park District recognized 18 volunteers for their service to affiliate groups and associated organizations. Additionally, two volunteers highlighted with Volunteer Spotlight Awards and one individual was inducted into the Volunteer of the Year Honor Roll. Palatine Stables Rick Grimes 1 Year of Service
PAFA Spirit Chris deVera 5 Years of Service
Partners for Our Communities Laura Lumb 1 Year of Service
Palatine Community Baseball/Softball Rich Zilinsky 5 Years of Service
Rolling Meadows Renegades Hockey Vic Babal 2 Years of Service
Penguins Lacrosse Chris Wienke 7 Years of Service
Palatine Children’s Chorus Heather McDermott 2 Years of Service
Palatine Hills Golf Association Joe Saccomanno 10 Years of Service
Bike Palatine Club Sue Montgomery 2 Years of Service
Theatre Nebula Tom Hermanson 11 Years of Service
Palatine Pickleball Club Anne Stein 2 Years of Service
Palatine Amateur Football Association Greg Elter 13 Years of Service
Palatine Gymnastics Club Amy White 3 Years of Service Palatine Tiger Sharks Swim Team Janet Borre 5 Years of Service Palatine Youth Theatre Kristen Cerer 5 Years of Service
Palatine Township Senior Citizens Council Nancy Kane 13 Years of Service Palatine Celtic Soccer Club Jim Burke 21 Years of Service Palatine Historical Society Alice Rosenberg 36 Years of Service
2019 Volunteer Spotlight Recipients Jim Burke Palatine Celtic Soccer Mike Herron Palatine Community Baseball/Softball 2019 Honor Roll Inductee Michael Pastore Pengins Lacrosse
Fall Volunteer Highlights Thank you to our volunteers who provided a large variety of service roles at the following community events: Oktoberfest, Public Lands Day, Fall Festival, Halloween Party, Palatine Business and Community Expo, Parent’s Night Out, Turkey Trot, Allegro Holiday Concert and even at our staff holiday party! THANK YOU!!!
SPEAKING OF VOLUNTEERING AND PROVIDING SERVICE…
Did you know Palatine Park District Has A Service Committee? The staff member service committee’s mission and purpose is to provide District staff and community members the opportunity to give back and serve the District, community and public at large by performing service-orientated activities which help individuals and groups in need. The service committee executed their 2019 plans as intended. Service Initiatives established by group consensus early in 2019 included service efforts at PATH Community Closet and Feed My Starving Children. They also assisted area foster families with an impromptu and very well received Stuff the Duffel drive. Through collaborative efforts the district’s Social and Wellness Committees they brought back a staff favorite with Rise, Run and Fun! Barb’s Precious Rescue benefited from their pet food drive. They held an environmental service project on Public Lands Day. Ending the year was a toy and gift card drive benefitting Palatine Township families in need. They also manage the Employee Giving Campaign which provided funds so Palatine’s children in need were able to enjoy park district programming. The initiatives offered by this committee have significant value. The service initiatives provide an outlet for staff to make a difference in the community, stay active, plus develop skills and interests.
GIVING BACK...
Palatine Pickleball Club Volunteers Lend a Hand at Feed My Starving Children Source: Excerpts from Palatine Picklers Newsletter, January 2020
Marilyn Darby organized The Palatine Pickler Club’s first volunteer effort at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). The group gathered at the FMSC facility in Schaumburg on Monday, December 16th to spend a couple hours scoping, weighing and bagging vitamins, vegetables, soy and rice. The experience was really fun, it’s amazing how much good these bags can do. Check out the photos on the right which show what their effort and the rest of the 35-50 volunteers in their session accomplished. A whole lot of people volunteer a couple hours to make a huge difference in the lives of kids in dozens of countries. Marilyn will organize another Pickler’s day of service next spring. Thanks to Marilyn, for getting them involved. Picklers really do have power, even off the courts!
A GENTLE REMINDER.... At Palatine Park District, the volunteer program prides itself on its 2019 volunteer fill rate (when volunteers show up for the roles they signed up for) of 106%. For comparison purposes, the national volunteer fill rate is 75%. We mitigate unfilled roles by adding “rover roles” to assignments, up-staffing our events, and sending reminder emails a week prior to events requesting that volunteers cannot make their commitment, to please go to signup.com immediately and remove themselves from the role—to allow another volunteer time to fill our need. We are starting this year (2020) behind the 8 ball so to speak, with many no show / no calls. While we understand that this is volunteer service on the volunteer’s part, and are appreciative of that service, for us the roles we offer on signup.com are needs. Those roles make our events successful, they are important. ** IMPORTANT** Our practice at Palatine Park District is that volunteers who cannot make their commitment should call us or remove themselves from signup.com 24 hours in advance. In the event a volunteer incurs two (2) no show / no calls, we inform them that they can no longer sign up for dedicated roles in signup.com. They could show up and if we could use them we will, but they cannot take a signup. com slot. They could also volunteer at mass-volunteer events we host (Earth Day, Public Lands Day, group service projects, etc.) that are open to the public. Please be aware of the 2 no show/no call practice, though our hope is you’d never incur any. Thank you for the excellent service you provide our community, we greatly appreciate your efforts. Respectfully, Alissa DePue, Volunteer Coordinator
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.