by Greg Summerhays
Director of PR, Workers Compensation Fund
UWSL Young Leaders, Chair
Instead of paying claims, issuing policies, and promoting workplace safety, WCF employees took a break from their normal routine and spent the afternoon with the kids from the afterschool program at Woodrow Wilson Elementary. Woodrow Wilson is a diverse Title I School with over 30 cultures and languages spoken. The afterschool program helps over 80 students continue their goal towards superior academic achievement.
We spent the afternoon creating Santa Claus faces out of cotton balls, reading holiday books, assembling reindeer antlers, and making some amazing 3D snowflakes. To finish off the day, everyone assembled in the auditorium and we had a holiday dance party. It’s not every day that WCF employees get to finish off the day with a dance party to Gangnam Style. For most of us, our feet hadn’t stepped foot on a dance floor in a long time. But, you better believe that we remembered all of our old moves and learned a lot of new ones!
Mike Willhard, Chief Investment Officer at WCF, summed up his experience this way, “I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the kids. They were very energetic and enthusiastic. It was fun reading to them and listening to them read books. We had a great time making crafts together. It was such a pleasure to be a part of this project.”
Many donors give financially to the United Way of Salt Lake but miss out on the opportunity to see the difference their contribution makes in the lives of children and their families. United Way’s volunteer coordinators helped us organize a great project to see firsthand how we are helping change the odds so that all children and families have the same chance to succeed in school and life.
Paola Stauffer, WCF VP of Claims Administration, said it best, “It was an absolute joy to have the opportunity to spend a few hours with these remarkable kids, we received so much more than what we gave.”
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To volunteer with United Way of Salt Lake – visit uw.org/volunteer-center!
