7 minute read
Volunteerism
Volunteer Appreciation Brunch
1. Senior moms, Regina Saliba, Kaleo Serughetti-Waxman, Carolyn Putney, and Sue Leiter. 2. Parent volunteers Angele Singh, Reid Matsuoka, and Callie Turk. 3. Cindy and Wayne Davidson. 4.Christy Occhipinti helped to thank the many gala volunteers. 5. New PPA Presidents Carolyn Putney and Kristi Patterson thanked past PPA Presidents Kari Rust and Kathy Fitzgerald.
By Liz Kendall
It was a morning of excitement and celebration as 71 parent volunteers took their seats in the Rothrock Performance Hall on April 25 for the 2017-2018 Volunteer Appreciation Brunch. Seated at round tables decorated with floral centerpieces, volunteers enjoyed a brunch of salads, sandwiches and a variety of desserts. After a blessing offered by Father Martin, Head of School Tim Molak welcomed the 2018 gala chairs, Christy Occhipinti, Cynthia Mahood Levin, and Jennifer Youstra to the podium where they re-capped Club 60 and celebrated the 35+ parents who made up the gala team. The annual tradition of honoring the Last Volunteer Standing was led by Molak, inviting volunteers to remain standing based on the number of years they’ve volunteered at Priory resulted in two honorees this year! Jennifer Hammer and Mary Rose Theis were both honored with bouquets, applause, and hugs for their 13+ years of service to the Priory. In celebration of Priory’s 60th anniversary, all past PPA presidents and gala chairs were invited and were recognized with blue ribbons on their nametags. Cindy and Wayne Davison, who traveled from their home in Oregon, are Priory’s most decorated gala chairs to date, having chaired five galas dating back to 1999. The foundational accomplishments of the Davisons and all of the legacy leaders were recognized and celebrated with a standing ovation. The gratefulness continued with PPA Presidents Kari Rust and Kathy Fitzgerald recognizing individual volunteers for their roles in coordinating new parent cocktail receptions, Grandparents’ Day, Christmas magic, admissions open houses, Annual Fund participation, and dozens of other events and opportunities throughout the year. Reflections on volunteering submitted by parent volunteers were read aloud throughout the brunch, including a touching message written by Pamela Dorrell that seemed to resonate with all in attendance. “By volunteering at their school, my children’s world becomes my own,” Dorrell writes. “I get to know their daily environment, their teachers and friends on my own terms, which gives me so many more ways to authentically connect with my children. Volunteering sends an important message to my kids that school is valuable. If I can spend my precious time working for free to make the Priory an even better place, the children too should have respect for the school and work hard.” The new PPA presidents, Carolyn Putney and Kristi Patterson, were introduced and joined Fitzgerald and Rust on stage before Director of Development Suzanne Couch shared an enthusiastic 10-second clip of the entire student body thanking parent volunteers to close out the brunch.
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All current Priory parents are part of the Priory Parent Association. To find the right volunteer opportunity for you, visit the PPA back-to-school coffee and volunteer fair on Friday, August 17. All skill levels and time commitments are welcome! We would love to celebrate you at next years Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast on April 26, 2019!
VOLUNTEERISM
Last Volunteer Standing, Jennifer Hammer Taking it One Frame at a Time Since 2004
By Liz Kendall
Jennifer Hammer knows Priory. Beginning when her daughter Eleanor (Ellie) Oates ’10 entered Priory’s 6th grade in 2003, Jennifer did what was natural to her and looked for opportunities to volunteer. She imagined she might be a class parent, but in the spring of 2004 when Father Martin was unable to photograph the theatre performance, Jennifer stepped in and has photographed every theater production since. Along the way, she and her husband added videography as well, providing photos and videos to parents and the school. Taking 3,000-4,000 initial photographs of the show, Jennifer says she takes a day and a half to narrow the images down to 400-800 and aims for 10 great pictures of each actor and actress.
As Ellie continued to be part of Priory’s twice-annual theater productions until she graduated, Hammer took on new volunteer roles beyond photography and videography. In 2007, she co-chaired the Cinco de Mayo-themed gala and chaired it herself in 2008, with a theme of “An Evening in Monte Carlo.” Continuing to volunteer in the theater realm, she remembers working with the costumer and refreshment stand, and decorating the theater’s entry hall for Christmas during the performances of “A Christmas Carol. “
Hammer describes the volunteering experience as “a gift to be closer” to Ellie and that she was happy to share a part of her Priory experience with her. With Hammer continuing to photograph the performances in the eight years since her daughters graduation, she has delighted in continuing to work with the theater department and meeting today’s students. “The theater program meant so much to my daughter. If at all possible, find time to volunteer because it’s so great to see what’s going on, especially in the theater, it’s such a magical relationship these kids have together.”
Hammer’s best advice for volunteering at your child’s school is to make yourself invisible. “You need to be able to do it in a way where your kid is going to be ok and comfortable. I tried never to show my face in front of her and her friends. It’s so precious for them to have their space. It’s a privilege to be a part of it.”
Last Volunteer Standing, Mary Rose Theis Giving Back Through Teacher Appreciation
By Liz Kendall
For Mary Rose Theis, the motivation to volunteer at Priory is simple: “I just like to give back.” With her third and youngest child graduating as a member of Priory’s Class of 2018, Theis looks back on her years of volunteering with purpose, “It’s a joy to be able to contribute to Priory,” she said.
One of Theis’ favorite volunteer projects was beginning the teacher appreciation breakfasts. “The teachers at Priory are great, I really wanted to thank them,” she remembered. Describing the breakfasts as a way for teachers to connect with one another in a relaxed and casual space, Theis remembers the breakfasts being a great way for parents to demonstrate their appreciation for Priory’s teachers. The simple appreciation breakfasts transitioned into what today’s employees know as the grand annual faculty and staff appreciation lunch. The beloved gift card raffle tradition began by Theis at the breakfasts continue into today’s lunch. Other volunteer roles she cherished were coordinating auctions and being a room parent when her three boys were in 9th grade. She remembers her goal was to make Priory’s newest 9th grade students feel welcome.
She described most of her volunteer roles lasting a few years before another volunteer parent transitioned into the role. She recommended this transition as new voices and leaders enter a project. “New people will bring new ideas; they’ll bring value in a new way.” Another reason for her transition to different roles related to when she would occasionally hear from her boys about how often she was at their school. She’d seek out under-the-radar roles for herself after these conversations, including painting set pieces for the theater productions. “You feel a bit of pride after working so hard on a set piece, and seeing it being used in the play,” she shared.
Theis says volunteering was simply a way to stay involved with other adults and give back to Priory in whatever way she could add value. “You learn new things, you give back, you create things.” She cited her favorite volunteer work as anything related to teacher appreciation.
At the Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, outgoing PPA president Kathy Fitzgerald shared, “Mary Rose has one of those minds that can take a project, organize every little detail, ensure it runs smoothly, and make it better, we have the binders to prove it! Mary Rose has touched and impacted every corner of Priory from performing arts to theater, athletics, to development–through the auction and annual campaign, to faculty and staff appreciation breakfasts and lunches, she is omnipresent.”
