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Hands4Hope has selected Stacey Carter as this month’s Adult Volunteer Spotlight!

Hands4Hope would like to welcome our newest staff member, Lori Whittle! Lori is our newest Education Program Coordinator and will be mentoring our school-based service learning clubs in Placerville. Lori is a wonderful addition to the team and we are so grateful to have her! Where are you from originally? I'm originally from Santa Cruz County but have lived in El Dorado County for over 20 years. What were you involved with before starting with Hands4Hope? Prior to working with Hands4Hope, I was a teacher in Placerville for over twenty years. I was also a resident camp administrator with the Girl Scouts. What do you like to do in your free time? I enjoy dabbling in acting at our local community theater when I'm not working. I also love being at our family cabin where I can hike, kayak, swim and nap. I also love baking! What goals do you have for your work with Hands4Hope? My main goal in my work with Hands4Hope is to establish myself as a solid mentor with whom our student youth participants, their parents, and our community members trust as we work together on service learning adventures. Being a part of the Placerville Expansion Project puts me in a great position of helping our Education Program grow in the Placerville area. I would love to see service learning projects benefit more organizations in our local area. It is also my hope that I stay connected with our youth far beyond their years in high school. What are you most looking forward to in working with Hands4Hope? I'm really looking forward to witnessing the service learning model in action.

This month, Hands4Hope would like to recognize Kyle Frost as our Youth Spotlight!

This month’s adult spotlight is Eileen Javora Boeger!

Hands4Hope has selected Mason and Brody Cooper as this month's Youth Spotlight!

This month Hands4Hope has selected Leslee Spencer-Long as our Teacher Spotlight!

How long and how were you involved with Hands4Hope? I was involved with Hands4Hope from 8th grade until I left for college in a multitude of ways. When I started, it was simply volunteering for events that interested me, mainly serving children. I then got a leadership role teaching the afterschool Media Smart Youth program and my involvement grew from there. I led the marketing team for the H4H Haunted House while it was still in operation, and sat on the Winter Boutique Committee. One of the specific outreaches I loved was Sister Nora’s. My last year I was the Youth Board President, also sitting in on meetings for the Hands4Hope Executive Board, as well as leading the Team Hope program at Silva Valley elementary. How would you describe your experience with Hands4Hope? My experience was completely life changing. The adult mentors saw potential in skills I possessed that I did not even know I had in me. They constantly pushed me to be the best version of myself, to step outside of my comfort zone. This was huge for a shy person like freshman year me!! I loved every minute of what I was doing and felt empowered by all the opportunities I was presented with. What have you been up to since graduation? I now attend Willamette University where I am studying Civic Communications and Media. I work as a coordinator in our Community Service Learning office and as a wellness coordinator for campus recreation. I have planned countless service trips and major events, including the most recent weeklong sustainability week for my campus. Did Hands4Hope impact your college experience? If so, how? Hands4Hope impacted more than just my leadership skills and need to serve others. It instilled confidence in me that I carry to each class presentation, job interview, and event I host. I learned so much about communicating with others and "real world" skills from my time with Hands4Hope that I would not have been able to gain just from high school. If you could give one piece of advice to youth starting Hands4Hope, what would it be? Have an open mind and seize opportunities that are given to you, you could find something you are passionate about! Is there anything else you would like to add? The people of Hands4Hope are what are truly important. The connections I made have stuck with me to this day.

What school do you teach at and which club do you advise? I’m a PE teacher at Sutter Middle School in Folsom and this is my third year advising the Sutter Hands4Hope Club. What is your impression/experience with Hands4Hope youth? I love the Hands4Hope youth! They have great enthusiasm and want to make great change. They are lively, out-of-the-box thinkers and are full of compassion. Is there anything that you've enjoyed most/been most surprised by interacting with the club? What surprised me the most is the connections the Hands4Hope Club members make with our Sutter student population. Last year, the club was excited about the German Shepherd Rescue Foundation. They orchestrated a schoolwide fundraiser and raised over $700 for the Foundation. I was so impressed at their efforts and the response from the student body. Is there anything else that you would like to add? This year the club interest is strong and we have many fun projects planned. Currently, we’re partnering with Power House Ministries to bring new gifts and clothing to children in need through the Christmas Around Towne program. I am excited to see the fruits of our labors.

How long have you been participating with Hands4Hope? The first outreach event that I participated in with my kids was back in December 2017. Why did you join Hands4Hope? I joined Hands4Hope because I truly believe in the charter and the mission and wanted to introduce my kids to community outreach so that we can give back to the community that we live in throughout the year. What outreaches do you usually volunteer with? Which do you enjoy the most? My kids and I have volunteered for the GVCC Saturday Café, the Food Blitz, and most recently the Winter Boutique Committee. Both my daughter and I really enjoyed being part of the Winter Boutique Committee. It was such a fun and fulfilling experience to be involved from the initial planning stages to seeing it all come together for the Boutique opening, and then tear down. The team worked really well together and did a great job pulling it all together in a short timeframe. I’m thankful for Hands4Hope as it has given my daughter and I the opportunity to give back and help those in need in our local community in a fun and educational way. What is your impression/experience with Hands4Hope youth? I’ve been so impressed with all the Hands4Hope youth I’ve met and worked with. They are all so collaborative, poised, genuine, dedicated and mature beyond their years. I loved seeing the older volunteers helping and mentoring the younger volunteers. They are all truly inspiring to see in action.

How long have you been working with H4H youth? I have been coming out and speaking for about two years now and working with the different middle schools programs. What has been your overall impression of H4H youth? The best part about the youth, and I have been working with young people my whole career, is that they are so positive, so welcoming, so caring, and so professional. Even before I greeted them, they were so welcoming and it was the complete opposite of what you would expect from junior high youth in a positive way. They make direct eye contact, engage in conversation, and are genuinely interested in what I have to say. How have H4H youth impacted your organization? The best example I can give was two years ago. In 2017, our hospital had a huge shortage of play-doh. We have hundreds of children that we see everyday and 30,000 patients that visit annually. We have a huge use for play-doh; we use it for physical and occupational therapy, arts and crafts, and in our school room. We were running extremely low and were so thankful to have been chosen by Hands4Hope. They (Marina Middle H4H Club) hosted a huge play-doh drive at their school and when I came to pick it up, I was in awe. My car was packed from floor to ceiling and we have not been short ever since. In your experience working with different organizations, what stands out about H4H youth? I have been fortunate enough to work with many organizations and clubs over the years in my professional career. What stands out the most is their professionalism and attentiveness. These students are 12 years old and sit through my 20- 30 minute presentation and are so attentive, ask questions, and are just so great and friendly; that is what makes them so different. Another thing I have noticed is not only how they treat me, but how they treat each other. When the bell rings, they are so nice to each other and genuinely excited to see one another. It’s easy to be respectful of the adult in the room, but they were so respectful of each other and that was awesome to see. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would like to say thank you. When I see the students and do the presentation, I don’t get to see them after the fact. I want to let them know, if they or their parents or their teachers are reading this, that they are truly making a difference. The work they are doing, whether they see it or not, is so amazing. Hundreds of children are being impacted by their kind gestures. They don’t always have the opportunity to meet the kids they are helping, but on their behalf, thank you, they are so appreciate for what they have done for them. The simplest things bring a huge smile to their faces.

What is your school and grade? Also, how long have you been involved with H4H? I go to Camerado Springs Middle School and am in 8th grade. I have been involved with Hands4Hope for 2 years. Why did you join Hands4Hope? I joined because it seemed like something I would enjoy doing and that it would be fun. How has Hands4Hope helped you in school, with your friends and family, and in life? Hands4Hope has taught me to not let people ruin your happiness. There’s always going to be rude people and it has taught me to not let other people ruin my day even when they can sometimes be mean. What has your experience been like since joining? Since joining, it’s been really great. There have been a few times that have been tough with my club because they are really loud but it has been great and I know that I have a really great team behind me. Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experiences with Hands4Hope? Hands4Hope is an awesome club to be apart of and I know I’ll do it through high school!

Hands4Hope has selected Jena Brasil as this month's Youth Spotlight!