Making a Difference with Junior Achievement

Recently, several Associates used volunteer release time from the Ivie Cares program to teach Junior Achievement classes in local schools. Junior Achievement provides professionals the resources to help children learn about important skills necessary to competing in a global economy (you can learn more about their Dallas chapter here: http://www.jadallas.org/). Lesson topics include how to save money, be a good citizen, and how to do well in a job interview. We asked some of the partcipants to share their experiences with us. Their comments are below.

“I’ve had a great time with our class. They really want to know about the working world and they ask a lot of really great questions. Our teacher has been great with chiming in when she has something to say and we’ve had very little behavioral problems even thought they are 9th graders. Great experience overall.”
-Rachel Bradford

“Travis and I are kicking ignorance’s butt with on-topic advice for the 1th graders. Yesterday was our first session, and it went well. Travis got them some treats we put in Ivie cups, and they enjoyed all of the materials (especially when we “rapped” about them).”
-Chris Ray

“I will miss those little guys. They were so sweet. On my last day they all wrote thank you notes and drew pictures, which are so cute! This was a very fun, rewarding experience. The kids are so eager when you show up and they’re grateful for all the little things JA provided for them. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves kids and is looking for a fun way to volunteer. I look forward to doing this again in the fall!”
-Sabrina Warren

Helping Out With Earth Day

by Katie Turk

On Saturday, April 17th, Katie Turk and Emily Huston braved a chilly spring morning to participate in the Friends of the Riverfront Earth Day cleanup event. A portion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, north of Pittsburgh along the Allegheny River, was beautified by over 400 volunteers. The group pulled weeds and invasive species, cut down and collected dead branches, planted flower bulbs, and spread mulch and gravel. All the volunteers had a great time. Despite the cold, everyone did their part, and the trail looks great!

Racing for the Cure, Rain or Shine

by Emily S. in Ivie Bentonville

It’s 7 a.m. on a Saturday. Outside, it’s a mishmash of ominous clouds, pouring rain, thunder and lightning. You wake up, thinking the obvious: It’s a great day for a 5K!

Despite the dreadful weather the morning of April 24, several members of the Ivie Bentonville team and their families showed up to run the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Luckily, the rain died down before the race began, so Team Ivie was able to finish the race along with about 5,000 other brave participants. Approximately 16,000 signed up, which made reaching a goal of $1 million in donations possible.

The race is the Komen Foundation’s signature event that helps raise awareness and funds for breast cancer education, screening, treatment and research. We hope to take part again next year (with any luck, in better weather)!

Pictured above:
Front row, from left: Fabian Lagunes, Aaron Schmid, Emily Schmid, Shelby Harrison, Sara Prince and Morgan Prince.
Back row, from left: Sarah Terry, Drew Terry, Carol Baserman, Kurt Baserman and Marquetta Thompson.

My Eye Opening Experience

by Becky Pearce

I helped to start the Ivie community service program almost 3 years ago now and have had the pleasure of being heavily involved ever since. Lately, I've found myself feeling disconnected from our efforts. Often we are raising money without actively being involved with the organization and the people (or animals) our donations are helping. Although, I fully realize that money is what these organizations often need the most, I also think it's important for people to connect with the organizations they support so they truly understand the needs of others.

Today I had the pleasure of touring a local organization called Christian Community Action (CCA). CCA supports 8 school districts throughout the county our main offices reside in. I've been familiar with CCA since I first moved to Texas 10 years ago. They are the place we ALWAYS take our donations to - much like Goodwill. What I learned today was truly eye opening though. They are so much more than that donation station I drop by a couple of times a year.

First of all, CCA provides not only a re-sale store but also food, shelter, education, training and spiritual guidance for families throughout the area we live in. We live in a nice area. Flower Mound is generally considered a town of mid to high income residents, but what we don't realize is the impact the economy has had on those who live right around us. This has created a tremendous need for the services that CCA provides. A need they are struggling to keep up with.

The woman who gave us the tour today mentioned that it is no longer predominantly the working poor who need their services, but people like us who have been affected by the bad economy over the last couple of years. People with college diplomas and MBAs and solid work experience. People who'd managed to build their lives into what would be considered the "American dream."

Our friends, family and neighbors have lost their jobs and are desperately trying to hang on to their homes despite having lost everything else. CCA helps these people to pay their bills, to feed their families and to receive medical care. Plus, provides education and training to help people become self-sufficient again. They provide supplies for kids to go back to school, toys for their parents to put under the tree at Christmas, and during the summer they even provide lunches for kids who might otherwise not eat.

And they do all of this with only the money from their re-sale stores and donations from people like us, plus the tremendous hours that countless volunteers are putting in.

I try to remind myself often of how lucky I am to have what I do and try not to take it for granted. But walking through that lobby with my designer bag on my shoulder was like a punch in the gut. Especially after hearing that $25 feeds a family of four for a month!

At Ivie, we are busy making plans for how we can help CCA both through donations as well as volunteering. Personally, I'm also looking for an opportunity to take my 8 year old son to volunteer with them as well. Much like me, he does charity fundraisers at school, but ultimately he has no idea what that means or where the money is going. I'm hoping we can remedy that.

What can you do to make a bigger impact on the lives of those in need?

Photo: Courtesy of helgabj, www.flickr.com/photos/helgabj/1074000287/

My Junior Achievement Experience

by Aaron Conoly
Recently, I decided to participate in Junior Achievement, an organization that seeks to help kids of all grade levels learn the real-world information and skills they need to be competitive in a global marketplace. Class topics range from how to be a good citizen to how to do well in a job interview.

I decided to teach a ninth grade class with a colleague from work. The ninth grade curriculum focuses on preparing students to successfully interview for and perform at their job. Some of the important issues we discussed with the class included

-Effective listening and speaking skills
-How to build rapport
-Teamwork
-Creative problem solving
-Conflict resolution and negotiation
-How to effectively market yourself
-How to write an effective resume
-How to have a successful interview.

We met with our class every Monday for seven weeks. During the class, I was struck by how much I would have benefited from a program like this when I was in high school. Ninth grade is an interesting time for a young adult; you’re just at the cusp of deciding what the rest of your life will look like. It’s such a crucial time, especially because of the pressures young people face. In ninth grade, almost every major decision can be framed as such, “I can do x, which will distract from my studies and chances at a better life, or I can do y, which will establish the building blocks for a better life.” Often the distinction between x and y is difficult and the decision even more so. If someone would have taught Junior Achievement in my ninth grade class, I would have had been better equipped to make better choices, or at a minimum, have had more to think about at that crucial time. Luckily I had a good work ethic, but experiencing a Junior Achievement class certainly would have helped.

At the end of seven weeks of games, critical thinking exercises, and lively discussion, we had our last JA class. The students thanked us for their time, and we left our contact information with them. I believe we made a difference, if only a small one, with some of the kids. Anytime an adult can take time to share experiences and/or mentor a child, they make a huge impression in that child’s life.

I would highly recommend teaching a Junior Achievement course. It’s a great opportunity to make a positive difference in your community.

How to Fight a Penny War

Every year, several of our offices participate in their local Relay for Life (for more information about this great charity, please go here). We always have a group of ten to fifteen that participate in the actual relay, but we also have several charity events in our office to help raise money. One of those events is called Penny War. It’s an epic department versus department struggle, one that I’ve participated in for the last three years. Now I’ve decided to pull the curtain back and share some of my team’s tried and true strategies for fighting the good fight.

What’s a ‘Penny War’?
Great question. Penny War is based on a point system. Every team, which is usually comprised of two to three departments, has a bucket. Teams can place coins in their own or other team’s buckets. Pennies are worth one point, while silver coins are worth negative points, based on the coin’s value. For example, a nickel is worth -5 points. At the end of the war, the team with the most points wins. It’s a great way to raise money for Relay for Life! Here are three strategies we used to be successful.

Strategy 1: Plan of Attack
Essentially, you can be a kingdom- or king-maker in this war. If you’re looking to fortify your defenses, focus all of your funds on pennies. The penny is the only coin with a positive point value in this war, so if you’re looking to reign supreme, fill up your bucket with as many pennies as possible. Most teams at least in some way attempt to accomplish this goal. Another strategy is to play king-maker. Let’s say your department can raise $100, and you’ve noticed that some other departments’ buckets are brimming with pennies. You could decide to focus on silver coins, which have a negative value. Afterall, you can help swing the balance of power with some strategically placed quarters (-25 value).

Strategy 2: Raise Funds (AKA Shock and Awe)
Fun fact: banks actually have a small supply of coinage. Let’s face it, most people don’t go to their bank drive through and ask for $100 in nickels. It’s just not that common. So plan ahead. Call your local branch at least two days ahead of time to determine if they’ll have the coins you need in stock. Many banks order their coins a week in advance, so the sooner you start to plan, the better. Also, keep in mind that your colleagues are fighting the good fight too, so there’s a good chance they may have already been to the same bank looking for coin. This last challenge, I had to drive over 20 miles to get coins, due to lack of supply in our immediate area.

Strategy 3: Have Fun!
After you have your plan of attack and funds, it’s all about having a good time. This contest is a great way to meet and interact with coworkers you might not have worked with previously. It’s also for a great cause. So remember not to go crazy; simply enjoy the game and raise money.

So that’s how we play the game of Penny War. I really enjoyed this year’s fundraising event and look forward to next years!