I’m your friendly neighborhood volunteer, Steve. I started volunteering at the Goodman Center in the summer of 2023 looking for a way to support my neighbors as well as make some friends. What a great find!
I was raised with a giving spirit, participating in Bike-A-Thons and Walk-A-Thons. Going door-to-door asking for donations. I remember riding 42 miles on my one-speed bike for one event, shocking the organizers and donors. That spirit has been fed throughout my life — AIDS Rides in Dallas, data entry in San Francisco, a food pantry and math tutoring in Austin, and sorting through and selling donated books at the San Jose public library.
I wrapped up my master’s degree as lockdown was ending. I was looking for a new, well-respected place to donate my time, and Goodman topped the list. Having lived nearby for five years, I had never heard a bad word, and my research backed that up. I volunteer both with the Meals on Wheels prep kitchen and stocking shelves in the Food Pantry. Both are fun, with laughter and even some dancing! Even though my injured back doesn’t always cooperate, I take my “use it or lose it” attitude to the center three times a week. I’ve even started attending the weekly meditation group to help overcome some self-imposed limitations in my life. Can the fitness center be far behind?
Outside of the center, I’m coming up to speed on an open-source project called Yocto. It’s used to build the software that runs in your internet-connected devices like thermostats and car infotainment systems. I also get out and cycle occasionally, making it a point to do the Loop the Lake ride every year. The lakes are such an asset to Madison, and I’m glad people are staying aware of what is needed to keep them healthy.
If you see me around the center or around town, be sure to say ‘Hi’.