June/July 2024

Dear Goodman,

Summer is the time with more light to do EVERYTHING by, and at Goodman we fill the summer days with so much! Full day camps & programs for kids ages 3 – 18, wedding season for our hospitality and catering departments, Girls Inc. camps for elementary and middle school girls and non-binary youth, summer jobs for 60 high school students through TEENWorks, our annual Senior Patio Party and Pontoon boat ride – this list goes on and on. 


Summer is also a CELEBRATION of all you do as volunteers for Goodman.

Join us for the End of Summer Volunteers & Staff Party!


Thursday, August 22

5:30 - 8:30pm

Warner Park Colorful Shelter

2930 N Sherman Ave.

Come kick back and let Goodman show its appreciation for all the support, time and love that you've shown your community as a volunteer. Connect with old friends and make new ones! Enjoy delicious food, trivia and games, prizes and a night of fun!  


All volunteers are welcome — bring the family! All youth 18-and-under are invited, and everyone is welcome to bring a guest.

RSVP by Monday, August 12

Let me know if you have any questions. I hope to see you there!

Susan Ramspacher, Volunteer Manager

sramspacher@goodmancenter.org or 608-204-8048

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Ellen Millar

Older Adult Data Entry & Yoga Instructor

"I started assisting the older adult team with attendance entry when Gayle reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in helping, and I gladly said “yes!” I see how hard they work and how they provide such positive activities and opportunities for older adults in the area. This is just one way that I can support such a great program that is easy for me to do in the comfort of my home and on my own schedule.  


I also teach Yoga for older adults — one in-person class and two online classes per week called “Easy Yoga Plus”. Years back, I started practicing yoga because I was having some physical issues. I experienced such amazing improvement that I decided I needed to share yoga with others, so I got certified to become an instructor."


Learn more about Ellen on Goodman's blog!

OPPORTUNITIES

Help out TGIF Camp at Madison School Forest on August 16


Girls Inc. of Greater Madison, in conjuncture with MSCR, is looking for volunteers. Would you like to help engage youth in activities, support activity transitions and keep everyone safe at Verona's School Forest?


Sign up for an unique and exciting summer shift.

Become a *START Tutor


Teach elementary schoolers to read!


This opportunity includes a mandatory 30 hours of training on Tuesdays Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3-5pm between Sept. 10 and Oct. 10.


Tutoring sessions with Goodman elementary afterschool youth will run for 8-weeks starting Oct. 15 during the same weekly timeframe as the training sessions.


Ideal volunteers will be able to attend all training AND tutoring sessions across the 13-week period. Fewer days/hours may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.


Learn more about becoming a tutor.

SHOUT OUTS

Huge shout out to the volunteers, both new and ongoing, who have stepped up on Thursdays to help us pack our Goodman Groceries – Deb C, Elizabeth R, Kellie K, Lori K and Molly B. Every week they pack perishable and non-perishable items picked by our families for their cupboards and refrigerators.  


Our youth programs are filled to the brim with spirited volunteers running around with the kids from pre-school to high school. We sooo appreciate your time, energy and patience!!!  


Kudos to the 34 staff members from the Exact Sciences finance team who dug in and helped with summertime clean up – they scrubbed tables & chairs, cleaned our playground, painted the outdoor arbor and so much more! Thanks again and again for returning to share your love with Goodman. 

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

Gayle Laszewski & Abby Sibilski

Asst. Director of Older Adults & Older Adult Coordinator

Goodman’s older adult program is a vital lifeline for many senior community members in Madison. Programming is run by Gayle Laszewski and Abby Sibilski. Their work is deeply entwined, yet both have a distinct role within this vibrant program.  


As the Asst. Director of Older Adults, Gayle oversees the daily operations of the program, ensuring it has high quality and diverse activities that meet the needs and interests of our older adult participants. A large portion of her work involves creating and maintaining community partnerships so we can provide a wide range of programs and services.  


Abby, the Older Adult Program Coordinator, manages the Congregate Meal Site, which is the donation-based lunch for seniors that runs Monday through Friday. Additionally, she coordinates many of the other weekly programs offerings and plans extra social events for our seniors. They see the most important part of their jobs as helping to create safe and enjoyable social opportunities for the older adults in our community.  

 

We asked both Gayle and Abby about their jobs, community and work with volunteers. Here’s what they had to say! 

GET OUT & VOTE!

The fall primary is happening Tuesday, August 13! The deadline to register is Wednesday, 7/24 and absentee ballots must be requested by Thursday, 8/8. Let your opinion be heard early in this critical election season.


Visit myvote.wi.gov to check your registration status today!


Image: @soulstothepolls on Instagram.

MILESTONES

Birthdays

Here’s to our July and August birthday friends! Hope your trip around the sun was filled with good fun, good health and good people in your life! Salute for another great year!

July 2

  • Alexis Kasper
  • Natalie Isensee
  • Dave Siebert


July 5

  • Allan Moore


July 9

  • Ingyin Khine


July 11

  • Margie Thompson


July 13

  • Ardis Hempel


July 14

  • Heather Colburn


July 20

  • Carol McCann
  • Jenn Loayza


July 22

  • Dan Melton


July 26

  • Michael Lemberger


July 27

  • Nick Hein


July 28

  • Julie Regina


July 31

  • Krista Kuhlman


August 7

  • Barbara Chusid

August 11

  • Debra Shapiro
  • Nancy Westphal-Johnson


August 12

  • Romelle Witkins


August 13

  • Joseph Lynch


August 18

  • Terri Reis


August 19

  • Tricia Blanco


August 20

  • James Freeman


August 21

  • Edith Hilliard


August 22

  • Sheila Voss


August 23

  • Billy Feitlinger
  • Molly Bittner


August 24

  • Alesia Mayfield
  • Mary Myers'


August 27

  • Sam McDaniel


August 29

  • Cheryl Smith
  • Barb Hopkins


August 31

  • Mariama Diallo
  • Aggie Gretzinger
Anniversaries

Happy anniversary to these individuals who started with GCC in July and August and continue to commit to putting their best foot forward to strengthen lives and futures! We are glad you’re here!

14 Years

  • Joseph Lynch


5 Years

  • Gary Morton


4 Years

  • Dennis Thompson
  • Rosanne Theis 
  • Steve Gil  


3 Years

  • Amanda Gatewood
  • Jane Ippolito 
  • Joellen Ornstein 
  • Karen Faster 
  • Laura Stalder 
  • Mary Crawford 


2 Years

  • Mira Nafranowicz


1 Year

  • Billy Feitlinger  
  • Elise Yanke 
  • Kathy Cristoph 
  • Steven Landherr 
  • Tyler Hendricks 



 
If you’d like to include a shoutout for a fellow volunteer or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Susan Ramspracher: sramspacher@goodmancenter.org or 608-204-8048.
 
 

GOODMAN COMMUNITY CENTER

214 Waubesa Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53704

608.241.1574 | info@goodmancenter.org | goodmancenter.org

Read the Eastside News, our bimonthly, uber-local newspaper.

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