Becoming comfortable with new experiences is something Jane Blick has learned through the years. Her journey through the volunteer landscape has taken her to many new places where she has served in many roles.
After moving to the area later in life, Jane was looking to make meaningful connections when her husband retired. She began assisting in record-keeping for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program at United Way as an office volunteer in 2010. Since its inception at that time, she has continued to tackle the complicated task of keeping track of all 500 volunteer’s hours each year. United Way appreciates her long-term commitment! She has done other volunteer work for other agencies, for varying lengths of time, over the past ten years. These include being an adult tutor for the Marathon County Literacy Council, front desk help at The Women’s Community, office assistant at The Monk Botanical Gardens and working in the gardens at Leigh Yawkey Art Museum.
Jane and her husband Mike have been involved, as a team, as a “Big Couple” for several years, as they spent time with a child through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Reading to students was also a team effort at Weston Elementary in years past, and now each are reading, once a week in Mosinee and Marathon, to Kindergarten and 1st grade students through the United Way Reading Buddy program.
Her fun-loving spirit comes out as she tells stories of the cute things her students say, or as she talks about the chance to go through a corn maze, to local theatre performances and other children’s events which she wouldn’t have done without taking her “little brother”.
Viewing the volunteer experiences each as their own adventure is a good perspective to have. Just as on a vacation one may visit new places, meet new people and try new foods, trying a new agency or role is fun and interesting. One may decide to stay, or linger at one destination, or pass along quickly in a place that just isn’t enjoyed as much.
Jane says “Put yourself out there or you will sit home and do nothing. Just try something and if it is not working, move on. There are too many things you could be doing that will be a good fit! There is a wealth of opportunities out there”. United Way Volunteer Connection and United Way RSVP are here to help you along your volunteer journey.
Thanks to Jane’s positive and flexible attitude, mixed with some humor and her skills of organization and attention to detail, many agencies have benefitted from her service. Thank you, Jane!!
