O’Neill Volunteer
The O’Neill Bright Horizons staff would like to shine the spotlight on Mary Ann Babutzke. Mary Ann has been a volunteer with us through the Experience Works program since May of 2010. She is a huge asset to us as she keeps our office and donation rooms well maintained! For all that she does, she continues to keep a positive attitude! Way to go Mary Ann and keep up the good work!!!
Norfolk Volunteer
From volunteering on our crisis line to helping out with events, Brandy Kyncl has proven to be an out- standing volunteer for Bright Horizons! When asked why she decided to volunteer, she explained that “since I was never able to make a full time career doing what was in my heart, I knew volunteering was a HUGE way I could satisfy my need to help those that don’t have a voice, don’t have a way out, don’t have a lot of the everyday free- doms, love, and support that a lot of us have.”
Since she started, Brandy has volunteered 1,791 hours (most of which were crisis line hours), has organized two diaper drives for Bright Horizons, and played a huge part in organizing our first annual Awareness Walk for Sexual Assault last April. In addition to her volunteer services, Brandy has also been an enthusiastic advocate for our organization. She is always able to get her family, friends, and other community members involved with our activities and events!
When asked what she likes about the volunteer position, Brandy said, “One day a week for the last 2 years I have had the awesome responsibility of answering [the crisis line] phone when someone needs me; some of the calls are scary, some of them hurt, and some of them make me angry! But for every call that hurts there are 10 that make you smile when they say ‘THANK YOU’ for being there to listen to me, to help me find my way, to help me understand that none of this is my fault, that I am a good person and I deserve to have a happy, loving, stable home for me and my children, or whatever the situation might be.” Brandy loves being able to plan fundraisers and to see how much support the community gives Bright Horizons throughout the year. She loves “being able to attend trainings, seminars, and talks that help raise awareness to the growing number of issues our children face today” and she looks “forward to how much they make [her] grow as a woman, a mother, a daughter, and a friend.”
Brandy even thanked Bright Horizons for all we have done for her, but she is actually the one who deserves the appreciation. All of us at Bright Horizons are very fortunate to have a volunteer like her in our organization and want to say THANK YOU Brandy!
