Volunteers Help New Hope Offer Residents More Activities, Opportunities
The week of April 21 is National Volunteer Week, and city leaders in New Hope say they’re thankful for the help they receive from volunteers all year long.
“That’s our biggest goal: yes, to be able to offer great programs but also highlight those in our community that do such a great job,” said Recreation Supervisor Aaron Thelen. “We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
Volunteers like Pam Scheiller, right, help New Hope city staff put on events year-round.
Thelen said in 2023, more than 250 volunteers worked more than 2,000 hours to help put on events like the Bike Rodeo, the Young Mudder, and the Vehicle Fair.
“It gives them an opportunity to get to know the community outside of the place that they’re in and meet new people and see some new faces and allow them to get their word out about their organization or their company as well,” Thelen said.
One of those volunteers represents the Robbinsdale Whiz Bang Days Ambassadors program. Pam Scheiller helps the young people in the ambassadors volunteer at various events in the cities that make up the Robbinsdale school district.
“We like to volunteer within the different cities that are encompassing where our program pulls from,” Scheiller said. She said the programs allow young people to grow a variety of skills.
“There’s a lot of different ways to get involved, whether it’s running an activity, showing something off, you know, being able to improve your speaking skills because you’re presenting stuff or give direction to do stuff,” she said. “Part of it is just you know the fun activity being able to get outside and away from the TV and the phones and other stuff, too that everybody’s involved with to be able to get out and participate in these activities that are going on in the community.”
Mike Isenberg and his wife, Allison, also volunteer in New Hope in a variety of ways. Mike has been on city council for four years. Allison also is part of the Human Rights Commission. The couple also holds a toy drive in their living room to collect donations at Christmastime. It’s been growing steadily for 17 years.
“I think we get more people that help us year after year,” said Allison. “It gets a little bit bigger every year. It inspires more people to volunteer.”
“Everywhere people need to step up it seems like it happens in New Hope,” said her husband.
The Isenbergs and Scheiller agree that volunteering isn’t so much about what you have in mind as it is about showing up and doing what is necessary to help the community grow and more people enjoy what the city has to offer.
“It doesn’t have to be something you’re committing to for a long time,” said Allison. “It can be something that’s a couple of hours and you want to help with this event, and that’s what you volunteer with.”
