Page 40 - Priorities #72

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Three Volunteers Recognized For Ten Years of Service!
It’s been a busy ten years for Catherine Boyle, Kathy Fitzgerald and Judi Jaeger. All three were the Last Volunteers Standing at the 2019 Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast and were celebrated for their tremendous contributions to the life of the school. Together, they gave their time and energy to nearly every service opportunity available at Priory since their children entered in the fall of 2009.
For their top volunteer assignments, Judi devoted her time to boosting wine sales at the gala, and helping plan grad night, Catherine committed to being a guardian for international dorm students and inviting parents to join the Founder’s Club, and Kathy served as Priory Parent Association Co-Chair and on the search committee for the next Head of School. All three provided great reflections and recommendations on how volunteering enriched their experience as a Priory parent.
For Judi, she remembers wanting to give back to her children’s schools. She began by supporting the faculty and staff breakfasts when her older child was new to the school. “It was a way to show our appreciation,” she shares. As she grew into a major volunteer role with the gala and managing the wine portion of the event, she was motivated to encourage greater giving to Priory through engagement and fundraising. “My goal was to increase the quality and quantity of the gala, the wine was a big job,” she shares. Being involved gave her the chance to meet other parents, demonstrate the importance of volunteering for her children, and get to know their friends.
For Catherine, she says that wherever she goes, she sees volunteering as a good way to get to know people and that saying “yes” is in her family’s philosophy. When her older daughter transferred to the Priory in the 7th grade, Catherine recalls that “volunteering would be a good way to integrate myself into the class and the new school.” Through volunteering with the gala, she was at Priory regularly. She recalls that being on campus frequently gave her a sense of what school was like on a day-to-day basis for her three kids and integrated her into the community in a way that wasn’t disruptive to them. “Just say yes,” she recommends for parents considering volunteering.
For Kathy, she recalls both of her children blossomed at Priory and so was eager to become involved. While volunteering for the gala, she remembers the complex non-digital system of tracking RSVPs and many late nights in Founder’s Hall working on seating chart boards for the big event. She reflected on how her Priory Parent Association Co-Chair position allowed her to get to know many more parents and begin learning about the board’s role in governing the school. She described it as “a gift” to travel to Saint Anselm Abbey and observe the monks there, their values, and how they support the Priory. With a wide array of volunteer experience, Kathy described flexibility as a key attribute for volunteers to have, “You get into roles and you just figure it out using your imagination and creativity.”
Her recommendation to parents thinking about becoming involved? “Don’t be afraid, just dive in. It just enriches your life, truly.”
Thank you, Judi, Catherine, and Kathy for the countless hours you gave to the Priory!
From bottom right, Last Volunteers Standing Judi, Kathy, and Catherine show off their Senior parent Priory key rings with
Anne Harrison, Christine Dinh-Tan, Mary Gaston-Duling, Meg Barton, and Mark Peek.
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