Employee Volunteering
The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA) recognizes its role, and the role of its employees, in strengthening the communities in which we live and work. As a matter of civic responsibility, WFAA supports staff involvement in volunteer activities, including those related to a personal interest or a WFAA-sponsored event. To convey our support, we offer up to eight hours of paid volunteer time off per calendar year so employees don’t necessarily need to use their allotted paid time off to participate in and make a difference to causes that are important to them.
Here we spotlight a few employees who’ve taken advantage of WFAA’s paid volunteer time.
Toni Rossmiller
I’m super grateful that WFAA offers to compensate us for a day of volunteering. I’m active with my church, GIFTS Men’s Shelter and CASA of Rock County, but for the past few years I have used my volunteer day to participate in an Alzheimer’s research study at UW Hospital with the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
The study is basically a lifetime commitment — once a year, I go in for cognition tests and lab tests. I’m at UW Hospital for at least six hours. They also speak with my designated study partner annually to get his perception of any changes in my cognition. They even asked for me to donate my brain after my death, for medical study. Sporadically during the year, I complete online questionnaires for them. Although I can leave the study at any time, it’s very helpful for the researchers to have data over a long period of time.
I can’t find any Alzheimer’s in my family history, but my mother-in-law died with Alzheimer’s. My hope is that treatments and even a cure can be found before it impacts the health of my own children.
I encourage everyone to look into participating in a study. The clinicians treat me like royalty, and it’s a wonderful feeling to think that I might be a tiny part of finding a cure. For more information, see adrc.wisc.edu/volunteer-study.
Marti Fechner
Inspired by Kari Stokosa, who regularly works the polls, I used my paid volunteer hours to work at the polls for my first time. It was exciting to be part of the election process and see how much care goes into making sure every vote is counted accurately. The best part was helping people who were voting for their first time and seeing their pride and excitement.
Janie Winston
In the fall, I volunteered after work for Madison Metro School District to assist with the West High School girls cross country team. During the workday, I took eight hours to help set up and prepare for an all-school meet at Lake Farm Park in Madison. Coaching these girls was the highlight of the fall. I helped them boost their self-esteem, focus on positive outcomes, and get over challenges. Some of them have family members who are UW Carbone Cancer Center researchers and patients, and they were all grateful when they learned what I do.