A Note from VIP Supervisor Corina Sadler ...

A Summer of Service in Plano! Plano Academy High School Intern Morgan Cheng at the Friends of the Plano Public Library Book Sale This summer has been busy at the City of Excellence. From 175 teens volunteering for the Plano Public Library to dozens of corporate groups supporting efforts at the Plano Animal Shelter, our departments are always bustling. We have new programs launching this fall that take our volunteers outdoors and into the community. Below you will find updates and appreciation for the volunteers who are doing important work alongside our passionate City staff. We strive to elevate services through the great spirit of volunteerism in Plano. With Gratitude, Corina Sadler, CVA

Get Involved

Three new volunteer programs launch this fall. Each has a unique chance to make a difference in Plano. Find other volunteer programs at volunteersinplano.org.

Become a Russell Creek Park Steward Calling all outdoor volunteers to be great stewards of beautiful Russell Creek Park. Park Stewards will each be assigned a section of trees around the park pond to monitor throughout the year. Duties include reporting on the heath of the trees and the condition of memorial plaques. Training on tree health and orientation to the program will be provided. If interested contact, Corina at corinas@plano.gov or 972-941-7617. Looking for Leaders at the Plano Community Garden We are seeking adults interested in utilizing leadership skills and learning how to lead volunteer group workdays at the Plano Community Garden. The garden is maintained by volunteers who have adopted plots and donate harvested produce to local food pantries. The primary goal of the garden is to provide fresh organic produce to Plano families in need. Weekday volunteers who love meeting new people and have a passion for gardening. If that's you, contact Corina at corinas@plano.gov or call 972-941-7617. Help Plano with Census 2020 Support Census efforts by volunteering. Volunteers will provide language support at events so staff can reach more residents. Languages needed are : Spanish, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Farsi and Vietnamese. We also need volunteers to help at a Census booth at a store, apartment complex or community fair. You'll help explain the Census process to the public or pass out flyers. Join us and become a Census Ambassador! If interested, contact Corina at corinas@plano.gov or call 972-941-7617. Choose Special Events Interested in volunteering for one-time events in Plano? Email volunteersinplano@plano.gov to be added to the Special Event List to hear about City of Plano, Visit Plano and area events.

At Volunteers in Plano

Congratulations to VIP Coordinator Rebecca Hand and husband David on the birth of their son Finley.

Welcome Robert Gonzales to the Volunteers in Plano team.

Sharing the Story of Volunteers in Plano Corina Sadler was busy this summer presenting to a variety of audiences about how Plano leverages a vast array of volunteers to do great work in partnership with staff. She spoke in Ft. Worth at the DOVIA of Tarrant County meeting before heading south to Austin to speak at the Texas Library Association Conference with Library colleague Kristin Linscott. Corina's last stop was the Points of Light National Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota where she highlighted Plano to other city governments and shared tips about how VIP builds strong partnerships.

City of Plano In the Community

Staff Volunteer at North Texas Food Bank Thanks to the City staff listed below for supporting the Food4Kids program at the North Texas Food Bank . Team Plano spent a few hours SERVE-ing at the Food Bank’s warehouse. “When all was said and done,” said Corina Sadler, “we had put together 6,875 meals, that's 375 boxes of food.” Those meals have a tremendous impact on the well-being of needy families by providing them with healthy food for the month. The outing was an educational and heart-warming experience: Abadan Bayramova – Schimelpfenig Library Roxanne Crowley – Policy Government Relations Robert Gonzales – Volunteers in Plano Lisa Henderson – City Secretary Sara Lewis – Schimelpfenig Library Terry Maiale – Customer Utility Services Dada Matic – Harrington Library Sarah Miller – Davis Library Parisa Nasiripour – Haggard Library Corina Sadler – Volunteers in Plano

Sustainability & Environmental Education Lends a Hand at the Friends of the Plano Public Library Book Sale Nothing like air conditioned team building on a hot Thursday in July. Big thank you to staff of Sustainability & Environmental Education for spending their morning unloading thousands of donated books in preparation for the annual Friends of the Plano Public Library Book Sale at Plano Event Center.

Planning Department Supports Students Kudos to the Planning department for serving at The Assistance Center of Collin County’s Tools for School program which provides supplies and support for area students and their families: Christina Sebastian, Karen Suiter, Donna Falletta and Linette Magana

Organizations Give Back to Plano

Thank you to the following business and student groups that teamed up for volunteering!

Bank of America at Davis Library

United Healthcare at Davis Library

State Farm Interns at Schimelpfenig Library

Plano Parks & Recreation Teen Adventure Campers at The Legacy Senior Community

Plano Parks & Recreation Teen Adventure Campers at Davis Library

State Farm Interns at Davis Library

Special Recognition

2019 Supervisor of the Year Once a year VIP selects one City of Plano staff member, who exemplifies qualities key in supervising volunteers, for the "VIP Supervisor of the Year" award. This person must possess qualities like professionalism, compassion, ethical decision making, excellent customer service and leadership. Heather Harrington, CVA , sustainability volunteer coordinator for the Environmental Health & Sustainability Department/Live Green in Plano is recipient of this year's award. Her volunteers commented: " Heather encourages volunteers to actively participate and demonstrates the quality of servant leadership which is quite rare and unique .” “ Heather always greets people with a smile, cheerful at all times, promptly replies to all email requests. Reminds everyone on upcoming opportunities and very prompt in sending reminders or any changes. Courteous, dedicated to her work and dependable at all times. ” Congratulations Heather, we are lucky to have you on Team Plano!

Larry Howe - Follow in My Footsteps Award from Live Green in Plano The recipient of this award is a volunteer who has gone above and beyond to fulfill a need within our community related to sustainability. This individual has demonstrated through service their passion and commitment to the cause, and inspires others to join or make a behavior change. Thank you Larry for all you do to educate the community on solar energy. Nithisha Suryadevara - Environmental Enthusiast Youth Service Award from Live Green in Plano The recipient of this award has been an active volunteer for at least one year with the Live Green in Plano Volunteer Program and is 13-18 years old. This years winner is dependable, reliable and enthusiastic about volunteering. Nithisha is a litter cleanup site captain and ensures her cleanups are keeping Plano beautiful.

Marvin Hamilton - State Award Winner

Congratulations are in order for Live Green in Plano Volunteer Marvin Hamilton. He was selected as the 2019 Keep Texas Beautiful Volunteer of the Year for his inspiring litter cleanup efforts! During a routine walk along the Chisholm Trail in the summer of 2017, Marvin noticed a portion of the trail was heavily littered from the paved walkway down to the creek bank. Marvin recalled a phrase that stuck with him from an early age, "if you allow it, then you accept it." Marvin decided to pick up the litter in that moment and hasn't stopped since. Just last year Marvin dedicated 407 hours of volunteer service, collecting 312 bags of litter totaling 6,240 pounds all on his own. Congratulations Marvin!

Kathy Grove - Live Green in Plano Volunteer of the Year To receive this annual award, the volunteer must be a well-rounded, reliable individual and must strive to live a sustainable lifestyle and encourages others to do the same. Respected among their fellow volunteers, they are looked to as a mentor by younger volunteers. They are dependable and enthusiastic about their role. Kathy has volunteered regularly at the Reuse Center and has assisted with numerous special events and classes. She volunteered at the Plano Community Garden at its inception and many years following. She is being honored for the thousands of water rebates she processed this year. Thank you Kathy for all your efforts in supporting the work of the department.

VIP Teen Volunteers Attend Camp 43 at the George W. Bush Presidential Library

Each spring, the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum accepts high school applications for its three-day summer camp, “Camp 43: Leader of One, Leader of Many.” Focusing on the importance of leadership and the decision-making process, participants discover how values and personal beliefs affect their decisions, develop skills for working with diverse groups, and hear first-hand from high-level business executives about the methods they use to make decisions. The experience includes group activities, discussions, and presentations from prominent and successful community and government leaders. We are proud two VIP teen volunteers were accepted this year as part of a group of just 20.

Thoughts from Charith Muppidi about his experience at Camp 43: This program has been a great learning experience in a short period. Whether it’s from listening to the guest speakers or participating in the activities they planned, there was always a lesson to be learned. This camp taught me the value of taking initiative and trying out new things. It taught me how a true leader doesn’t need to declare his or herself as one, but most importantly, it taught me that being in the midst of the brightest people in the room is an opportunity to learn from them and from their rich experiences. A big thank you to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Thoughts from Kathan Gandhi about his experience at Camp 43: Camp 43 consists of prestigious speakers sharing their diverse experiences, group discussion, and fun activities. Participants also received tips for resume writing and interviews. I realized that leadership has deeper implications than the glory attached to it. I had the opportunity to broaden my understanding of leadership. It involves a lot of commitment, self-belief, and a growth mindset. I learned to be passionate and have a strong resolve myself before leading others. I realized the type of person I am and got better at interacting with others. I highly recommend applying for this program.

Apply for City of Plano Boards and Commissions

Visit plano.gov/boardsandcommissions to learn more and apply today!

Non-Profits Seek Support

North Texas Giving Day 2nd Annual Event at The Shops at Willow Bend Saturday, Sept. 14 Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day is an online-giving event designed to empower every person to give back to their community by supporting local nonprofits and causes they care about in one easy-to-use platform. The event helps build awareness and support for nonprofits. In 2018, over $48 million was raised through more than 157,000 gifts benefiting 2,700 local nonprofits. It’s the largest community-wide giving event in the nation.   Volunteer opportunities for Saturday, Sept. 14 at Willow Bend, hosted by North Texas Performing Arts, include helping on the celebration station committee, general event support or leading a game/entertainment station.

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