Volunteer Spotlight on Bettie Sotomayor
“Volunteering shouldn’t be a job you hate.”
Meet Bettie Sotomayor of Suffolk, our Announcements Editor and a whiz at graphics! Bettie uses her experience and skills in photography, graphic design and general technological know-how to enhance our email announcements that go out every few days. Aren’t they beautiful?
Asked how she gets all this done, Bettie replies, “Dedicating time between my family, homeschool, my church, my home-based business, and VaHomeschoolers always keeps me busy. Volunteering and a busy lifestyle are maintained by a daily schedule to reach goals and tackle things that are priority. Sometimes getting things done calls for early mornings or late nights. It’s my life and it’s just what I do.”
“I’ve been working with Bettie for a few weeks now publishing our twice-monthly ‘Road Trips’ announcements,” says board member Ann Clay. “She’s made my job so much easier. Now all I have to do is the research and she makes it look fabulous.’’
Kendra Niehaus, another board member who works closely with Bettie says, “I appreciate Bettie’s technical & design expertise, but even more wonderful is that she seems to have infinite patience and can produce beautiful work even when crunched for time.”
How did Bettie come to be a volunteer? “I signed up for the VAHomeschoolers emails sometime ago and noticed one that asked for volunteers. I couldn’t see myself in one specific role, nor decide really how much time I could commit, but I made contact anyway.
“It gives me great personal satisfaction to help or teach others. It’s near impossible to help someone that doesn’t ask for or want help, but VaHomeschoolers asks for help and embrace its volunteers. It gives me liberty to contribute my skills where they are truly needed and appreciated.
“The collaboration of the board members and volunteers helped me understand how many people are needed behind the scenes! The dedication and compassion I witness from others drive me to be the same. I now have a greater appreciation for my membership and know my money is well spent supporting this organization.”
If you’d like to see Bettie’s work firsthand, just sign up for our email announcements at http://vahomeschoolers.org/sign_up.asp.
Also, to volunteer, just email Ann Clay volunteers@vahomeschoolers.org.