September 04, 2015
Julie is an amazing supporter of OtterCares in her role as committee chair for the customer service group and her day to day job as Administrative Assistant for the CS department. She has been integral in getting more Otters involved in the community this year and she always has a smile on her face. Read more below about why we think Julie is so awesome!
Why did you become an OtterCares Ambassador? I wanted to become an OtterCares Ambassador so I could help encourage CS Otters to get out and volunteer! We are beyond fortunate to get 24 hours of volunteer time, and I really wanted to help guide our department to take advantage of using this benefit and help make a difference in our community! Being one of the largest departments at Otter Products, I love having the challenge of getting EVERYONE involved in volunteering and more familiar about the OtterCares foundation. I truly enjoy seeking out VTO events for our department. Being able to work closely with various organizations across Northern Colorado and getting to see the impact our employees have on them is very rewarding!
Who or what has influenced your volunteer work? I enjoy helping others, so this inspires me to get involved with volunteering! All of the volunteer events I have attended have really been a rewarding experience and getting to do these events with my co-workers is really enjoyable! As an Otter Products employee who uses all 24 hours of VTO, OtterCares rewards us with a $250 grant to give to a non-profit of our choice and this really hit home for me last year. I was able to give my grant to a hospital in Denver that had a huge impact on my family, all because I was out and about helping others. I am forever grateful that OtterCares gave me the opportunity to give back to this hospital. As long as I am an Otter, I will always use all of my volunteer hours & will continue to inspire others to use theirs.
Describe a volunteer activity you have been involved in that relates to the OtterCares purpose statement: Customer Service dedicated a week to helping out the Junior Achievement organization. I volunteered at Finance Park in Thornton, Colorado with tons of 7th grade students! Yes, they were taller than me & I got mistaken for a student several times, but I got to help teach them about finances & the importance of saving money! All of the students played the “Game of Life” and it was really fun to watch them play pretend, but by the end of the day to see them realize this could be their life one day, was very cool! JA encourages kids to be smart, be creative, & inspires kids to follow their dreams!
Describe your favorite volunteer activity: I personally love going to the Larimer County Food Bank! I usually go 2-3 times a year and I really enjoy using my VTO hours at this organization. Every time I go, there is SO much to do, and once my two hour shift is over I can see what an impact the group made! We are usually in charge of organizing single portions of donated food that will go to local families, so whether it’s weighing M&M’s, counting Snickers, or peeling Onions, it’s always fun to see how many servings we can make as a team and see how many families this will help.
Why do you think the OtterCares purpose is important?: I think it’s so important to inspire kids to follow their dreams and for them to believe that anything is possible! Growing up with this mindset can really open so many doors for kids to become entrepreneurs and philanthropists one day, or maybe even when they are still kids! I love how OtterCares focuses on motivating our youth, continues to grow their ideas, and will always find ways to keep our youth believing in themselves.