YMCA of Columbia-Willamette 2009 Strong Communities Campaign Volunteers of the Year

2009 Volunteers of the Year
First and foremost we are a volunteer organization. In 2008 the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette engaged 4,000 volunteers and provided more than 59,000 volunteer hours. We couldn't do what we do without you! Please take a moment to acknowledge the recipients of the 2009 Volunteers of the Year.

Eugene Wallace
YMCA Association Services
Eugene Wallace is currently serving on the Board of Trustees and has chaired the Christian Principles Committee since 2007. Eugene has not only been a strong financial supporter of the Association but a key advocate in the “C” focus priority. Under his direction an effective community-based Christian principles leadership team was built, he strengthened the Christian Principle Division financial base, established a connection in our branches for Christian principle support and training and is building a cooperative relationship with the local faith community. Eugene’s service to the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette has demonstrated well the purpose, “You are what you do.” The YMCA salutes his work. Read more about Eugene Wallace.

Steve Dowis
Beaverton Family YMCA
Steve Dowis came to the Beaverton Family YMCA after suffering a near fatal bicycling accident. He volunteered his time to help get back into the work force and eventually went back to his job at Intel. During his time at the Beaverton YMCA, Steve not only helped out with the front desk but also helped to keep the facility clean. He showed up daily with a friendly attitude and smile on his face.

Lynne Jones
YMCA Camp Collins
Lynne Jones has served on the YMCA Camp Collins Board of Managers for three years and the past two years has served as the Chair of the Strong Communities Campaign. During this time she and her daughters have been Family Campers and this year both of her daughters will attend Summer Camp at YMCA Camp Collins. Lynne is a wonderful ambassador for Camp Collins and this past year was the emcee for the 1st Reflecting Camps Glow Dinner and Auction, where more than $6,000 was raised to provide financial assistance to families to be able to send their children to summer camp. Lynne truly embodies the mission and passion of YMCA Camp Collins and it is an honor to recognize her as the Volunteer of the Year recipient.

Kristi VanVleck
YMCA Child Care
Parent volunteer Kristi VanVleck does so much for the YMCA Wilsonville Childcare Development Center. She is the only parent from the center who volunteered her time for the Strong Communities Campaign. She is heading up the Summer Carnival / BBQ / Volunteerism night to raise awareness of volunteer opportunities for families. She arranged a partnership with Marquis Assisted Living where preschool classrooms go once a month to share in activities with the residents. Kristi also initiated the “Make a Child Smile” program where the preschool students make cards for children with life-threatening diseases. She is working on a relationship with Meridian Park Hospital so they can do this locally. She attends all of the volunteer regional meetings and has been invaluable to the volunteer board.

Bobby Cunningham
Clackamas YMCA
Bobby Cunningham has been a volunteer as the Clackamas YMCA for the past 3 years. During that time he has contributed greatly to the success of our Girls Basketball program and our Strong Communities Campaign. Each Basketball season he plays an essential role in recruiting girls to play in our leagues and spreading the word about the Clackamas YMCA. During every registration season he has been the top requested coach, and this season we had so many kids wanting to play on his team that we had to get another coach and split them in two teams with Bobby attending both teams’ practices during the week and all games on the weekends. Bobby has been one of the most dedicated volunteers for several seasons and a large portion of the success the Girls Basketball program has is a result of his efforts.

Chris Abrahamsen
Clark County Family YMCA
Chris has been a wonderful asset to the Clark County Family YMCA for many months. He was referred to the YMCA by a local non-profit agency, as he wanted to “share his talents” with others, specifically with the Y. He can be seen coming through the doors with a big smile on his face and has a great sense of humor. He tackles challenges and tasks with great determination to see the project to completion. Chris is always wanting to do more. The Clark County Family YMCA is very thankful to Chris and all that he does for the community.

Britnee Mantis
Mt. Hood YMCA
Last fall, parent Britnee Mantis accepted the role of soccer coach for her son’s team when the Mt. Hood YMCA was short on coaches after an overwhelming number of children registered. With limited experience but a sincere willingness to learn, Britnee had a successful season. She enjoyed it so much that she went on to coach basketball in the winter season and then T-ball in the spring. She has been a widely requested coach this year because of her great attitude and readiness to work to ensure that, first and foremost, the kids are having fun and that everyone knows what is going on. She is a great example of a mother who is involved in the development of her son while volunteering to make life more enjoyable for those around her.

Jared Jones
Sherwood Regional Family YMCA
Jared came on as a board member in 2007 and has led the team in the past two years for the Strong Communities Campaign. Jared has also been a Chair’s Round Table donor. He started and is chair of the Property Committee, has enhanced the maintenance department by putting together a preventative maintenance plan and will do safety checks of the building. He works with the City property staff to coordinate efforts for improvement. Jared also planned and worked on Make a Difference Day, a volunteer work day at the facility. The Sherwood community would not be the same without Jared Jones.

Alex Nava
YMCA Teen Division
Alex Nava, a Portland Community College student and aspiring High School teacher, crafted and executed weekly creative writing classes at Gordon Russell Middle School in Gresham throughout the 2008-09 school year. She demonstrated the highest level of professionalism and commitment while connecting personally with each of her students. The kids, parents and school administrators appreciated her providing these engaging and fun enrichment-learning opportunities at Gordon Russell Middle School. The YMCA commends her on her hard work in helping to make a difference for children in the community.