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Asher employees give back to their communities

The old phrase “It’s better to give than receive” appears to apply especially well to volunteering.

A number of studies have shown volunteers enjoy a variety of health, job satisfaction, and professional development benefits. That’s why Asher Agency encourages its staff to support organizations that match their passions and interests. It’s not just good for the organizations we support; it’s good for us, too.

Here are a few examples of where our employees give their time and talent.

Mike Fulton – Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) National Capital Chapter Professional Development Committee and West Virginia State Society of Washington, D.C.

Mike says his work with PRSA allows him to “give back to our profession, highlight new technologies and tactics, and share the convergence of integrated marketing communications services we offer our clients.” And, as a Mountain State native who lives and works in the nation’s capital, his work with the West Virginia State Society is all about remembering his roots.

Kristen Hamrick – Fort Wayne Fringe Festival

Kirsten serves as a board and committee member for this week-long performance festival focusing on cutting-edge art and artists. She says it’s a great way to stay connected with the performing arts, which “have always been an outlet for me and something I hold close to my heart.”

Anthony Juliano – Fort Wayne Trails and Indiana Tech Alumni Association

An avid runner, walker, and bike commuter, Anthony includes Fort Wayne Trails among his favorite aspects of his adoptive hometown. As an FWT board member, he helps raise money and build relationships that lead to trail development. And his work with the Asher client Indiana Tech taps into another of his passions – education.

Heather Peaytt – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

When Heather was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 17 years ago, JDRF was invaluable in helping her move forward. To help others, she served as JDRF county chairperson for eight years and recently became the JDRF’s West Virginia statewide volunteer and media outreach coordinator.

Karen Richter – United Way of Allen County

Karen has served on her local United Way Standards Committee for more than 15 years. She reviews audits, tax returns, and business practices of each agency requesting support from United Way to determine if they meet the standards to receive funding. “It’s rewarding to learn about the many facets of social services in our community,” Karen says, “and to be able to help facilitate those services.”

Dan Schroeter – American Red Cross

Dan is a long-time blood donor for one simple reason: as he says, “It saves lives.” He learned firsthand the importance of the Red Cross when his daughter, now 17, was born prematurely and relied on blood donations for the first few months of her life. “We never knew who helped us in our time of need,” Dan says “but, as a family, we wanted to give back.”

Faith Van Gilder – Creative Women of the World

Ever since Faith and her husband served as Peace Corps volunteers in Botswana in the 1980s, she’s looked for ways to give back. Two years ago she joined the board of directors for Creative Women of the World, which provides business training to women in developing countries so they are empowered to rise out of poverty through their own creative efforts. “I love the fact that women can purchase a necklace or scarf or other beautiful handicraft,” Faith says, “and directly help the woman who made that item.”

Brandon Wolf – Mustard Seed Furniture Bank

Brandon is a past board member and active advocate for Mustard Seed, an organization that provides furniture and household items for those in need. As the father of triples, he calls their “Beds for Kids” program a personal passion. “Every night over 3,000 children in our community sleep on the floor or on a sofa,” he explains. “Mustard Seed provides brand new twin mattresses to those children so they can rest well and perform better in school.”

 

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As we bid farewell to 2023, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we've had as an agency this year.