Spending Time With the Younger Community!
Jim and Vicki have been active in the community for a number of years.
Vicki frequently went on school field trips and girl scout trips - including going to Toronto as an escort.
She was a member of the St. Mary Elementary School SOS (Support our Students) which later became the PTA. (The St. Mary Elementary is now part of St. Paul School Systems.) During that time she coordinated several talent shows for students at St. Mary and St. Paul schools. As coordinator she missed the actual shows - but she had the best seat in the house - she was behind stage and was the last to see the performers before they went out and the first one to see their beaming smiles when they were done - it was priceless!
Vicki served as cub master, fund raiser and secretary for her son's cub scout pack for several years. Jim was an assistant den leader.
Jim has helped with the Lefty Grove Baseball League, Incorported, for many years. He was an assistant coach for several seasons when Keifer was younger. In recent years, he joined the Lefty Grove board, first as Payroll Officer, the Senior Division President and currently an Advisor. He is also manager of one of the senior division teams. At times our son, Keifer helped him with coaching. (Keifer is too old to play.) Vicki was on the board for a couple of years as the Fund Raiser. She helped coordinate the 50 year anniversary celebration and created the Home Run Derby. She is no longer a board member but still helps when needed.
Vicki has been an assistant and head coach of the Western Reserve Dance Team since 2002. She started when their daughter Samantha joined the team. Samantha has helped with coaching the team as well.
Samantha and Keifer are too old for the activities that Jim and Vicki are now involved with. But they enjoy helping the kids so much that the continue to do it.
When Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment was nominated for the 2004 Torch Award for Market Place Ethics by the BBB, one of the questions pertained to how they contributed to the community. Vicki noted that they volunteered by helping the youngsters because there was a need. She also noted that they did not volunteer for the recognition of their business as that is the wrong reason to volunteer your time. They do it because they enjoy it and because there is a need.
Jim and Vicki encourage others to get involved with our youth. You may not get paid with money. You may not even receive a verbal thank you. But the rewards you receive in your heart - that you did something to help improve the lives of our youth - those rewards will live with you forever. And a bonus if your child is involved - you get to spend more time with him/her.
Make a difference. Get involved.