Volunteer Spotlight | Judy Pantelides
In July 2008, the City of Hampton unveiled the Hampton Mayor's Book Club, addressing early literacy and focusing on the idea that reading is a core value. Last year, the efforts of their volunteers made it possible for the Hampton Mayor’s Book Club to bring over 300 readers into the classrooms, contributing hundreds of volunteer hours. Over 14,000 books were distributed to Hampton’s children.
Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Judy Pantelides, who uses VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to organize volunteers who read in preschool classrooms.
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Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs.
I organize volunteers to read in 93 preschool classrooms in Newport News Public Schools each month from October to May. Our volunteers are community leaders from Kiwanis, Rotary, many area businesses such as the Jefferson Lab and Old Point National Bank, as well as community lay persons who read to 1674 children each month. They read to the children and, when funds are available, we provide a book for every child to take home. The readers sign the books for the children to take home.
Explain how you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate these volunteers.
I set up the volunteer site and ask volunteers to sign up online to read at one of four preschool centers locate in Newport News. VolunteerSpot makes it easy because once volunteers are set up, they receive reminders as well as follow-up thank yous for the reading they perform.
What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?
Be sure you know how the volunteer system works or you may delete all of your email addresses and have to start all over!
Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?
I used the site several times for community service projects that I was involved with and it was very easy to use. The reminder email with the cumulative total of your work for the year for tax purposes was a very nice bonus!
Anything else you’d like our readers to know?
VolunteerSpot is easy for organizers to set up, and it's easy for even the least technologically-savvy volunteers to use!
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To learn more about the Mayor's Book Club, visit http://www.mayorsbookclub.org
We salute Judy and all the other volunteer community leaders out there making a difference in our world. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at [email protected].