Greater Raleigh Chamber Blog

By Cherith Andes Mangum
Clairemont Communications

On May 6, 2016, more than 100 young professionals banded together for the YPN Spring Service Day, an annual opportunity to invest in the future of the Raleigh through community service. Colleagues and friends from across the city spent their Friday morning coaching kids, packaging food, scrubbing floors and a plethora of other hands-on activities as an initiative to facilitate tangible change in Wake County. Our friendly faces appeared at the following nonprofit partner sites:

•    American Heart Association
•    First Tee of the Triangle
•    Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
•    Junior League of Raleigh
•    Make-A-Wish Eastern NC
•    Salvation Army Center of Hope
•    Special Olympics NC
•    Stop Hunger Now
•    United Way of the Greater Triangle

Behind the Scenes
Wish you were there? So do we! Here are a few first-hand snapshots from our team leaders to provide a glimpse into our dynamic morning!

“As a part of the Raleigh Chamber Young Professional Network Spring Service Day, a group of six of us volunteered with First Tea of the Triangle at Underwood Magnet Elementary School. We acted as "assistant coaches" to the First Tea of the Triangle coach, Bonnie, to teach two groups of elementary students golf techniques. The kids started off by learning about respect and how it related to their golf lesson. Then they did stations which were led by the volunteers, including putting, chipping and pitching. The kids were not only very excited and fun to work with, but they were also extremely attentive and quick to learn. The group of volunteers agreed that it was a morning well-spent giving back to the youth in our community and helping them learn about respect and the game of golf.”  
~ Ashley Alexander, Adams, Howell Sizemore and Lenfestey, P.A.

“Who knew mopping could be such an adventure … and such a meaningful experience? I joined 15 of my colleagues at the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope, a community shelter that offers everything from a soup kitchen and school lunches to lifestyle change and support programs. Fully caffeinated and thoroughly excited, we spent the morning cleaning the cafeteria, organizing the pantries, arranging the donation supply and scrubbing the nursery. I’m fairly sure that someone used the mop handle as a microphone at one juncture. It was truly a privilege to prepare the facility for families who need a safe, clean haven to grow and develop.”
~ Cherith Mangum, Clairemont Communications

“Our YPN service team was at the Junior League of Raleigh’s Bargain Box thrift store. We had a blast going through its donations and organizing all of the clothes, shoes, and household items that the store could sell. Although we were there for three hours, there were still so many items for us to sort. We definitely felt like we were making a difference because the store needed help determining what was eligible to sell and what wasn’t. The people at the Junior League were extremely kind and very appreciative. Our mighty team of seven volunteers enjoyed working behind the scenes at the store and finding little treasures like Star Wars masks, designer shoes, and vintage dresses.”
~ Heather Robertson, Lenovo

“I had the privilege to lead the initiative for the Special Olympics, one of my favorite nonprofit organizations with which I’ve volunteered several times in the past. For Spring Service Day, we organized the Special Olympics warehouse, sorted its event shirts, trophies, and tents, and also helped with filing and other activities as needed. One of the most rewarding aspects of the day was the genuine enthusiasm and gratitude the Special Olympics support staff demonstrated to the YPN team. Due to limited help, some of the organizational tasks would have taken the full-time staff a week to complete, but with the YPN team, they were able to do it in just a few hours.”
~ Darren Shrum, Green Resources

“Eight YPN members help set up for the American Heart Associations’ Go Red For Women Luncheon at Prestonwood Country Club. We stuffed goodie bags for the guests, organized tables and prepped the room for the event. This is a big fundraiser for AHA to help raise awareness among women who battle heart disease and are at risk for strokes. We were glad to be able to help and look forward to partnerships in the future with AHA!”
~ Joe Mayer, Steelfab of Virginia

“As part of the group who volunteered at Stop Hunger Now, I helped in its warehouse with a variety of tasks, including packing the boxes onto pallets to prepare more than 185,000 meals to be shipped around the world. We were also able to pack some meals, organize merchandise, and help get its used rice bags ready to be recycled. A fascinating and encouraging experience!”
~ Heather Hooper, Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina

And now?
Raleigh is a dynamic city experiencing vibrant growth, expansion and development. The Young Professional Network offers of plethora of tools for professional development as well as opportunities to give back, strengthen your network and invest in the future of Raleigh. We enthusiastically welcome you to join our network of young professionals and explore your next steps to develop your career!

Visit www.raleighypn.org to learn more about the Young Professionals Network.

By John Johnston
Community Development Manager
Greater Raleigh Chamber

The beginning of February marks the start of yet another great event—the WAKE Up and Read Book Drive! Throughout the month of February, WAKE Up and Read will strive to collect 110,000 books for delivery to 10 elementary schools, 20 childcare centers, and 10 community centers throughout Wake County. New and gently-used books for children ages birth through 12 years old can be dropped off at one of the many book drive locations throughout the county—including right here at the Chamber!

Donations will provide Wake County children with 10 books to take home with them permanently to begin building their own book library. One of the most challenging issues facing under-served youth in Wake County is limited or no access to books at home and throughout the summer months when school is not in session—motivation from which this book drive was created. This is a great opportunity to support Wake County children in need, and the Chamber is proud to partner with WAKE Up and Read once again.

In 2015, the book drive raised 115,000 books, solicited more than 500 volunteers, and successfully delivered books to over 7,100 children throughout the county. Last June, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading coalition honored WAKE Up and Read as a 2014 Community Solutions Pacesetter for efforts to improve childhood literacy in Wake County.

Visit the WAKE Up & Read website for more information.