Helping Their Communities: Staff Who Volunteer
Emerson staff are known for going above and beyond to help each other and the broader Emerson community. Not surprisingly, many staff lend their time and expertise to causes in their home communities, as well. Here are just a few examples of staff who volunteer with local organizations.
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Delia Buhl (Iwasaki Library) has volunteered with Boston Cares, an agency that organizes service opportunities in Boston and surrounding communities, since November of last year. She has volunteered with the following organizations through Boston Cares: Fourth Presbyterian Church Food Pantry, Greater Boston Dorchester Nazarene Compassionate Center, American Red Cross Food Pantry, Greater Boston Food Bank, World Computer Exchange, and the Prison Book Program.
Her roles range from packer and invoicer to inspector, cleaner, and distributor. Duties at the food banks and pantries include food sorting, unloading pallets, keeping lines/tables fully stocked with food, and packing items for food distribution programs or directly distributing items to individuals and families.
The World Computer Exchange supplies refurbished computers to classrooms. Volunteers load content, test computers, clean and pack equipment, and help with set-up and take-down of work stations.
The Prison Book Program mails free books to individuals who are incarcerated. Volunteers read letters from the individuals requesting books, pick books based on the requests, create invoices, and pack and ship the books.
Buhl enjoys working with Boston Cares because it offers a variety of opportunities with nonprofits and schools that are near and dear to her heart. Volunteering is important to her because her family did not have much when she was a child, and they sometimes had to rely on support from their community. She started volunteering when she was in college, because, as she said, “I enjoy helping others and live for their smiles.”
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Chuck Dunham (Communications and Marketing) has volunteered with CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education), which is a global nonprofit that assists individuals who work in the advancement, communications, and marketing fields at colleges, universities, and independent schools with building strong relationships with their constituents.
Between 2012 and 2020, Dunham was involved in the planning and execution of CASE District I’s annual conference. District I comprises New England and eastern Canadian institutions. He was the brand identity designer for three conferences, which entailed creating the conference brand identities and designing the marketing and communication materials. He was also the marketing and communications co-chair for six conferences. In this role, he led the conferences’ marketing, brand, and communications efforts. He developed the marketing plan and managed a committee of volunteers. Additionally, he directed the work of design sponsors who created conference materials.
Dunham was the co-chair of the 2017 conference. Responsibilities included planning and managing all facets of the annual event, which hosts 800+ attendees and generates $500K in revenue, including $150K in sponsorship funds. He and his co-chair managed a committee of 60+ volunteers from member institutions and oversaw the conference budget.
Dunham is grateful for the opportunity to meet and work with many interesting people from across New England and eastern Canada. When asked what he gained from volunteering with CASE, he replied, “The satisfaction of working for a good cause and an expanded professional network of friends with whom I can discuss issues and exchange ideas.”
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Lauren Labonte (Registrar) is the assistant den leader for her daughter’s Cub Scouts Wolf den. She and her husband lead weekly or biweekly meetings of the girls’ Wolf den. There are currently three girls in the den, and they hope a few more will join this year.
Labonte is starting her third year with the Cub Scouts, but her history with the organization goes back much further. She used to help out with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts when her brother was a participant. Her parents were both heavily involved in Scouts, which meant that she was always brought along to assist, too.
Volunteering with the Cub Scouts offers Labonte the chance to watch her daughter learn new life skills, such as learning how to fish and make a Pinewood Derby car. Her daughter has also learned the value of teamwork by participating in pack-wide events, such as the annual Iditarod Derby. Labonte said, “I really like the values of Cub Scouts: ‘A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.’ I think this says a lot about the organization and what we’re teaching girls and boys.”
Nancy Howell (Communications and Marketing)