9.26.15 ECM Work Day - Elyria Swansea Neighborhood

CU Denver Business School

Gas Processors Association

Individuals

Summary of 9.26.15 ECM Work Day:

• Volunteers Participated - 30
• Projects Completed - 9
• Volunteer Hours - 210

Save The Date for ART IS IN THE AIR, Fri Nov 13th

Please save the date for our annual fundraiser "ART IS IN THE AIR", Friday November 13th. It will prove to be an amazing night with live music, a raffle, and a silent auction. This is a particularly special time as we celebrate "8 Years & 8 Neighborhoods" working in partnership with volunteers and residents to serve our Denver communities. Please Save The Date & Share this with your friends ART IS IN THE AIR Friday November 13 from 7:00-9:30 pm Appetizers + Drinks + Deserts + Live Art + Music Artwork Network Gallery 878 Santa Fe Drive Denver, CO More info coming soon... Sincerely, Angela Bomgaars JOIN THE FACEBOOK EVENT

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All About the Volunteers

Fall is here and ECM is approaching the home stretch to the end of our season. However, the energy amongst the volunteers indicated they were all in and very glad to be giving on this day. The day was focused on alley clean up, and our volunteers!

Volunteering is defined as, "a person who performs a service willingly and without pay." Willingly was certainly the attitude of the volunteers. Today, I personally focused on our ECM volunteers: Cherry Creek High School’s Big Sisters, Regis Jesuit Day for Others, Westwood Unidos, and our ECM Board of Directors. It was an eclectic community of people. However, everyone showed up with the same attitude and energy with enthusiasm for their service to our Denver neighborhoods, for their own communities, and for each other.

Once again, I was filled with pride for my fellow human beings. Pastor James’ energy was contagious as he shared his plans for creating stronger community involvement in the Westwood neighborhood. He said it is not like the old days where people came to the church, instead pastors need to go out into the community and inspire others to come to the church.  

I was also impressed with the young ladies with Cherry Creek H.S. - Big Sisters. Maya, the team leader, spoke about all the other organizations she and her group have worked with. She said she would like to get The National Honor Society group involved in the ECM efforts, as well. These ladies focused on their task with ease and a smile.

Rebecca Thompson, a mother of student at Regis High School, was working with her sons and her husband. They all happily went about their work. Rebecca said that every year more than 900 volunteers in the Regis community come together for Regis Jesuit Day for Others. She said this was an opportunity to meet other families at the school, and to meet new people at the projects they worked out. She explained that this work has inspired her to go back to her own neighborhood to see what kind of support they needed. Rebecca hopes that volunteering will plant a seed in their children to want to continue to help others the rest of their lives. Regis requires their students to graduate with a number of service hours to their community. Volunteering is something both Rebecca and her husband said is rewarding and they look forward to the event every year.

Each of my work days with ECM has deepened my respect and gratitude for this work, and especially my faith in people. I am continually shown the good in others, the need and want for community and connection, and the inspiration that comes from spending time with the residents and volunteers. Thank you, again, volunteers for your beautiful spirits and for your service!

~Lisa Baude

Communications Team 

9.12.15 ECM Work Day - Westwood Neighborhood

Cherry Creek High School Big Sisters

Regis Jesuit Day for Others

Westwood Unidos

Individuals

Summary of 9.12.15 ECM Work Day:

• Volunteers Participated - 65
• Projects Completed - 3
• Alleys Cleaned - 5
• Volunteer Hours - 285

Volunteering with Co-workers

One of the best ways to bond with your co-workers is by volunteering. Volunteering helps build teamwork by fostering stronger relationships among colleagues. It's also proven that volunteering lowers stress levels in individuals and this can contribute to higher productivity when employees are working. In addition, when volunteer activities are supported by employers, employees tend to have a more positive feelings towards their workplace.

Sarah Schmidt, with the PICU Sunshine with Children's Hospital Colorado, knows all the benefits of volunteering, plus more. She has been coordinating the volunteer activities for the PICU unit for a couple years now. "We did a different neighborhood this year. So, it was neat to see the contrast. We had two new people this year who haven't volunteered. And, just hearing them talk at work, they had an absolutely great time with the neighborhood. They really enjoyed the community involvement," expresses Sarah.

The ECM Work Day for the PICU unit was a success! The team got to bond and enjoy getting to know each other better, all the while lending a hand to a deserving La Alma/Lincoln Park resident. "PICU Sunshine will definitely be volunteering again next year. We've had two great experiences, two back-to-back summers. And, we're going to try and get more and more people involved every time we're there. We see the positivity it has on the community," says Sarah.

September Extreme Endeavors: A Spotlight on Volunteers

Since volunteers are the backbone of what makes Extreme Community Makeover possible, I thought it would be neat to highlight some of our incredible volunteers so we can learn more about why people choose to get involved in ECM, as well as how they are making an impact right here in Denver. The Gonzales family is making memories as a family as they volunteer together, which you can read more about here. And Daron gained experience through volunteering that helped her reach career goals, which you can read about here. Check out how you can volunteer with ECM this month and who knows, maybe we'll do a Volunteer Spotlight article on you someday! Sincerely, Angela Bomgaars ECM Work Days If you want to join an upcoming Work Day as an individual, click here to register.  If you want to get a group involved for a future Work Day, click here for the calendar of dates and then click here to register. Here is what's happening this month:      Saturday, September 12 - 9:00 am (Westwood Neighborhood)   3300 West Nevada Place, Denver, 80219 - Redeemer Lutheran Church      Saturday, September 26 - 9:00 am (Elyria Neighborhood)   4809 Race Street, Denver, 80216 - Colorado Miners Volunteer Happy Hour: Thur Sept 10 Save the Date: Fri Nov 13 More details will be coming your way soon, but mark your calendars for our annual "Art is in the Air" event, which will be held Friday November 13 at 7:00 pm at the Artwork Network art gallery. It will be a great night! Help Us Keep You Updated One of the ways we can keep you informed about the November event is by taking a moment to make sure we have the correct info to stay in touch with you. Please update your address and any other contact info so we can keep you in the loop!  Upate Your Contact August Volunteers Thank you to the volunteers who participated in ECM projects in August! Bethany United Methodist Church Dakota Ridge High School Drama Department Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Children's Hospital

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Recycled Made into Supercool

We've all been there at one time or another, it's not exactly broken, but I just don't know what to do with it. So, throwing it away seems like the most hassle free option. Nowadays, dumpster diving has become a thing. People are making thousands from their diving hobby. Some people even do dumpster diving as a full-time profession. There are many interesting and sometimes profitable items to be found in your neighbor's trash. And, even if not a lucrative gain, there are unique treasures to be found that can become a special keepsake. As they say, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

One of Extreme Community Makeover's volunteers was faced with this dilemma. Brianne is on the Supplies Team and is accustomed to paying attention to what tools and items are needed to finish a project. Her radar was up when she struck a conversation with a resident unloading trash into a dumpster. The resident explained she wanted to keep the pallets she was putting into the trash and even pondered doing a project with them, but she just did not have the time. Brianne jumped at the opportunity and decided to take on the challenge. In her mind's eye, these left over pallets would become a supercool bench, once they were rescued from the dumpster.

With Google, all things are possible. Brianne googled a tutorial on how to make a pallet bench and got working. Pulling the pallets apart she kept the best pieces, pulled out the nails, sanded them, cut to the desired size and nailed them together. She then found some left over spray paint for the top and white-washed the bottom. And, if that was not resourceful enough, Brianne even borrowed the necessary tools for her pallet bench project from the Denver Tool Library.

"I've been volunteering a lot on the ECM Work Days. So, I've gotten better at doing different projects. I definitely would not think I'd have the skills to do this project. However, I decided to give this a try and I found out I'm more crafty than I thought I was," says Brianne. She is very happy with her recycled pallet bench. It makes a nice addition to her home's entry hallway on the way to the back courtyard. Brianne now has a story behind this great piece of furniture that she created.

Sometimes all it takes is a little incentive and a little effort to create a masterpiece and in return you help your neighborhood and the planet become greener. So, keep a lookout for your next supercool recycling project!