November 13, 2003
CFD: Alumni Relations staffer not satisfied with just one volunteer gig
Editor’s Note: Throughout the Combined Fund Drive campaign, which runs through Nov. 21, University Week will feature University employees who volunteer at CFD agencies.
Name: Sue Dowell
UW Job: Office Assistant, Alumni Relations
Volunteer Activities: Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation, One Voice Across America, Variety the Children’s Charity, and Helping And Loving Orphans.
Organization’s mission: These organizations help on a range of issues. Candlelighters helps cancer patients, specifically recently diagnosed children and their families. One Voice Across America is a bicycle event that raises money to fight childhood cancers. Variety Club helps handicapped and underprivileged homeless children. HALO works with orphanages around the world to find homes for children.
How long a volunteer: Since 1967.
Why these activities? I have been a volunteer since I was 14 years of age with special needs children. I’ve also volunteered to help a range of ages — with my youngest a few minutes old and my oldest more than 100. I volunteer more than 200 hours a month on my home computer for Candlelighters, doing research etc., and put in other hours with the children, their families, fund-raisers, and other events.
I cannot afford to give a lot of money, so instead I donate my time as much as possible. I worked at Virginia Mason Hospital for five years and was on the United Way Campaign Committee at the Hospital for all five years that I worked there.
I love the community that I live in and have always returned to my roots. My hope and my dream is to give as much as I possibly can back to the community and state that I have lived in for most of my life, to say “thank you.”
Memorable experiences while volunteering: A little Indian Eskimo Boy by the nickname of “Tote Mouse” running down the hallway at the Public Health Service Hospital shouting — Aunt Sue I can see you for the first time in my life (after his cataract surgery)
Satisfaction in volunteering: I love what I am doing for these organizations and wish that I could do more and give more time. I look forward to going to training sessions, seminars, and local as well as national and international conferences.
