Page Ahead is proud to present the Sarajane Beal Award for Volunteer Excellence to Jessica Young.
Jessica began her service to Page Ahead in 2003 as an AmeriCorps member. After her AmeriCorps term ended, she continued to volunteer her time at Page Ahead.
While her generosity and talents are endless, the staff at Page Ahead is particularly thankful that Jessica shared her technological skills, positive attitude, and infectious laugh with us. Thank you, Jessica!
Mary Jo Starck received the annual Sarajane Beal Award for Volunteer Excellence at the January meeting of the Board of Directors. Mary Jo served on Page Ahead’s Board until 2005 and is still active as a volunteer. Mary Jo is also quite involved in her community on Mercer Island as a parent, speech pathologist, and volunteer. Her ability to work hard, commitment to living a balanced life, and dedication to improving the lives of others is inspiring. During her Board tenure Mary Jo spearheaded the effort to create our signature fundraising event, A Taste for Reading. The fundraising goals have been surpassed by at least 10% each year it has been held. The 2006 event was held at the Triple Door in downtown Seattle.
Fairy tales aren’t the only place you’re likely to find a wizard. Page Ahead has its own “techno-wizard.” In December, Page Ahead named Calvin Haavig its Volunteer of the Year in recognition of the time and talent he contributed to managing and upgrading our computer systems. While Calvin has performed these services for several years, he was especially critical to the success of Page Ahead’s office relocation. Calvin is a long-standing member of Page Ahead’s technology committee, a group of volunteers who are committed to combining technological literacy with children’s literacy.
“At a time when resources for non-profit social service organizations are short, operating as efficiently as possible is essential,” said volunteer coordinator Jacki Crowther. “Calvin has worked long and hard to make sure Page Ahead is equipped to do just that.”
Meena Cheng was honored for her innovative fundraising efforts on behalf of Page Ahead. For the past five years, Cheng and her committee of dedicated volunteers have hosted “Cooks for Books,” a dinner, cooking demonstration, and auction that features prominent local chefs preparing their specialties using local ingredients.
Meena is a Certified Financial Planner with more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry. She has practiced public and private accounting as a CPA and is currently an Assistant Vice President of Investments for U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray. An experienced public speaker, Meena has spoken to companies, universities, and conferences. Meena is also a culinary aficionado who has owned two restaurants and has written the popular book, “Fortune in Your Cookies,” a humorous analogy between cooking and investment strategies.
Richard began voluteering for Page Ahead in 1991, shortly after his wife, founding director Keltie Wright, assumed leadership of the organization. A computer systems analyst by trade, Richard put his considerable skills to work as a volunteer. With equal amounts ingenuity and determination, he single-handedly built a technology infrastructure for Page Ahead—increasing hardware from one computer to eight and introducing new software. In addition, he trained all staff and provided technical support from his home in Hawthorne Hills. His calm and level-headed approach to troubleshooting earned him the affectionate title of “one-man help desk and first-aid station.”
