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In April, in addition to observing the national Child Abuse Prevention Awareness campaign, we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 27 – May 3.

Family Outreach celebrates all of our volunteers who collectively, over the past year, donated over 2100 hours in our community partnership. This means an offering of  $39,417 to our family strengthening programs.  It is very difficult to put a dollar value on volunteer time.  Volunteers provide many intangibles that cannot be easily quantified.  Without the time, talents, and resources of our volunteer community, we would not be able to continue making a difference in the lives of the families we serve.

Each month we recognize a special  “star” for outstanding contribution the prior month. Without the extraordinary work of these STARS and all of our volunteers, Family Outreach would not be able to deliver critical programming to families in need.

In January, Hetty Hollander was honored for her help with providing Christmas gifts for client families of the Center.  The February stars were Ann and Randy Sharber who helped develop our pilot child enrichment program for children whose parents were attending parenting classes. 

(l to r) Board President Toni Horak with Ann Sharber

In March, Sarah Losinger was recognized for her continuing efforts to present WHO programs to younger grades in elementary schools within the Dallas Independent School District.

Jennifer Schroeder, moved out of state in March, hoever after she had moved, she completed one last special project for the Center and and richly deserved to be the Star for the month of April.  In May, Katherine Battenburg, Immediate Past President, was recognized for her willingness to continue to produce the FOD newsletter.  In the Spring, with the help of volunteers from Temple Emmanuel, the Center storage room was reorganized.  A garage sale was held to dispose of some of the items and raise funds.  The Staff of the Center were the main contributors to that effort and Vicki Baab, Erin Carmack, Jane Collins and Michele Focht were honored as stars of the month of June.

July’s stars were Ann Collins and Janie Britton.  They took the reins of the parenting program while Betty Pettigrew had heart surgery.  We always thought Betty’s heart was just great but her doctor had other ideas. 

(l to r) Betty Pettigrew with Janie Britton and Bernice Reeves

Ann Sharber who has contributed to the reworking the financial organization of the Center and was given a star in the month of August.  Our income taxes were filed in a timely manner by CPA and volunteer, Betty Shaw and was recognized for her contribution for the month of September.

Ann Collins did a great job scheduling the WHO presentations for the Fall semester and we honored her with a star for the month of October.  Mary Schaar is a perennial WHO presenter.  She is also organizing a team to walk in the Feet Forward for Families Walk coming in mid-December.  We are grateful for Mary’s continued support of the Family Outreach mission; she was named Star of the month of November.

Mary Schaar

Toni Horak
Board President