BROOKINGS – The Helpline Center recently announced that Jennifer Erickson and Karla Bedow were named the September 2019 Volunteers of the Month, an area-wide award program sponsored by the Helpline Center.
Erickson and Bedow have been volunteering weekly with the Brookings Backpack Project for several years. Each week they assist with unpacking the food items and getting them ready for the packing crew, who pack 450-plus bags every Wednesday night during the school year.
Staff at the Brookings Backpack Project said, “Jennifer and Karla’s dedication to our program is evident through their many volunteer hours throughout the last several years. Jennifer’s helping attitude and willingness to always get the job done, even during challenging weather this past winter, is something we are truly grateful for. Karla’s positive and helping nature is a joy to be around; she is always able to get a laugh or smile out of us with her great sense of humor.”
“It’s so nice to have great volunteers, like Jennifer and Karla, that you know get things done. We never wonder on packing day if food items will be ready to go. They make it happen just like magic. Jennifer and Karla are invaluable assets to the Brookings Backpack Project and their work and dedication to our mission does not go unappreciated,” they added.
For information on volunteer opportunities or the Volunteer of the Month program, contact Allison Schmitt at bkvol@helplinecenter.org or call 211 for more information.
