Esther was next on my list.

To be honest, Esther had the shortest entry to ever make it to the a finalist spot and the one that I knew the least about. Her son, Dale, nominated her, but he now lives in the Philippines so wasn’t able to be part of our surprise. I really wasn’t sure what to expect.

I pulled up to her driveway and instantly felt like I could have been outside my own Grandma’s house. On the porch sat a half dozen flower pots with blooming buds and a brightly colored rocking chair with a decorative pillow.

You know how walking into a stranger’s home can feel a wee bit, um, awkward? Nope, not at Esther’s house! Esther’s son, Charlie, met me at the door with a smile. As I stepped inside, it seemed as though I had popped into a regular family gathering. The woman of the hour, Esther, was seated in what I imagine is her favorite chair, covered with a light blanket. Her daughter, Sharon, and granddaughter (who doubles as her caretaker) were there as well. Oh, and we can’t forget Julie, Esther’s granddaughter’s adorable pup.

Esther’s family was so excited that she had not only been nominated, but was a finalist. They weren’t very familiar with the contest, so I pulled out the entry and read it out loud to the group. As I read the simple nomination, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Well, maybe Julie. ;o) (Read her nomination here.)

Esther’s Parents

It was time to start digging in to learn more about this wonderful woman, 94 years young.  Esther was born on December 24, 1918. She came from humble beginnings on a German settlement in Missouri. Women didn’t have the right to vote, welfare was nonexistent, but people in this very poor settlement joined together to help one another. (Hmm… that sounds A LOT like our credit union’s entire foundation!)

Esther’s 7 Kids

Esther gave birth to 7  – YES, SEVEN – kids: Charlie, Dale, Sharon, Doug, Vicky, Van and Denny. Extra bonus points go to Esther because Vicky and Van are twins. As if having 7 kids wasn’t a challenge in itself, their father was an alcoholic and left them.

But our heroine wouldn’t let that get her down. In 1954, she moved her family to Cedar Rapids to make a better life for the kids. She got a job working at Farmstead Packing, which was a meat packing company. For nearly 30 years, you could find Esther there packing pigs feet. Looking at this small framed woman, it is next to impossible to imagine her in that line of work. But she did what she needed to do to provide for her family.

She achieved quite an American dream in 1956 when she was able to buy a home for her family. In fact, this was the very home I was sitting in. Sharon began to talk about how when they moved in, they had no running water. She even went on to show me the bathroom that they later added on. It was a very monumental occasion!

No matter the challenge Esther was faced with, she handled it with grace, something her children took to heart. Sharon recalled a story from her childhood. Though Esther’s family was poor, their neighbor was really, really poor. Around Christmas, a young neighbor so badly wanted to bake a cake for her parents, but couldn’t afford the sugar. And guess what? Even though money was scarce, Esther helped that little kid fulfill her Christmas wish. This story seems to perfectly sum up this amazing, selfless woman.

All 7 kids celebrating Esther’s 80th birthday

When you looked around Esther’s tidy little home, the very first thing you notice are pictures. She is literally surrounded by those who love her at all times, even if they aren’t there physically.

Let me break THIS down for you: Esther has 7 kids (ranging in age from 57 to 76), 26 grand kids, 33 great grand kids, and 22 great, great grand kids. That is a whole lot of limbs on her family tree, folks!

Esther had a tradition of making every single grandchild a quilt. The first thing you probably thought was, “Oh my goodness, Esther! That’s a pant-load of quilts, girl!” Okay, maybe that’s just me. But they showed me two of her quilts and, honestly, they were more like works of art. Every stitch hand sewn with intricate detail. Charlie had a very wise idea to start embroidering her name on each of the quilts so they can continue to be passed down for generations and generations to come.

In my short 60 minutes with Esther, I felt like even I became part of the family. She is warm, calm, and carries a strength in her eyes that you know is product of every challenge she’s ever conquered. It was nothing short of an honor to meet such an awe-inspiring woman.

My final stop of this 2013 Nom the Mom adventure would be at Pat’s work. Unfortunately, she was very busy and unable to talk for very long. Though Pat and I didn’t have the opportunity to chat, I did talk with her daughter, Katie, a few times and know for certain that Pat has been an incredible mom. (Read her nomination here.)

On behalf of Linn Area Credit Union, thank you to all of you who have been part of this Nom the Mom adventure. Whether you nominated, voted, or just read along – THANK YOU! Start thinking now of who you want to nominate next year. ;o)

Though we run lots of contests throughout the year, Nom the Mom is the one I look most forward to. Over the last three years we have been introduced to some extraordinary women and the people who love them. This year was no exception. (Click here to read about our our finalists from 2011, 2012 and, of course, 2013.) We had nearly 30 ridiculously wonderful moms nominated, which is actually a record number of nominations. (Want to see our other 2013 nominees? Go here!)

Just like you, when I woke up on Friday morning, I had NO clue which of our deserving finalists had won – Esther, Kaci, or Pat. The race had been too close to call the night prior. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I raced to my computer to pull up the contest software and – AHH – there she was. In the tightest race in our Nom the Mom history, Kaci emerged the winner by only 3 votes.

I hopped into my trusty car, pulled out my GPS (lovingly referred to as Lady Garmin), and began to plug in addresses. My 2013 Nom the Mom adventure was about to begin! Weeeeeee!!!

My first stop was Covington & Company, a fabulous little flower and event shop right by the Paramount in downtown Cedar Rapids. Because all of our finalists were outstanding, we wanted each these jaw-droppingly superb ladies to get something. Covington & Company designed stunning flower arrangements for the two runners up. Now, when I say stunning – I’m not over exaggerating, pinky swear. I was literally squealing with delight inside the shop!

You might be wondering how I go about tracking down each of the ladies. The day before the contest ends, I always contact each person who nominated a finalist and work with them to determine where their mom will be the following morning so I can surprise them either with the grand prize or flowers. The nominator is, of course, invited to be in on all the fun.

The first finalist I was scheduled to meet with happened to be Kaci, the WINNER! What a FUN way to kickoff the day!

Kaci has what I refer to as the “Unicorn Situation”. What on earth is that, Tara? When someone is nominated by their *wait for it* mother-in-law. Yeah, I’ll let that just soak in for a second.*pausing* Yep, totally my idea of a Unicorn Situation because that kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

Kaci was at work on that Friday morning, so Jan, her mother-in-law, met me in the parking lot of her workplace. Naturally, Jan’s first question was, “Did she win?!?!” I simply smiled, opened my trunk and showed her the beautiful City Looks Salon & Spa gift basket. She teared up, now knowing that her daughter-in-law had indeed won the Pampering Prize Package.

That’s when I found out that somehow my new chatty friend Jan had managed to keep the whole contest top secret. She didn’t even tell her own son (Kaci’s husband) or Kaci’s side of the family in fear that it would get back to her. That alone is amazing! (Read Kaci’s nomination here.) Jan reached out to everyone she knew, including her pastor. When he didn’t respond right away, well Jan went ahead and followed up with a “Hey, are you ignoring me?” email. Don’t worry – he ended up pulling through! Shoot, maybe he was one of the 3 votes that helped her win?? Can I get an Amen?!?

Since this was going to be a complete surprise, we had to be pretty strategic. Jan had done some behind the scenes work the day before, collaborating with Kaci’s super cool boss. Kaci was pulled into “a meeting” *wink wink* with her boss, which was actually more of a ploy to make sure we would be able to reach her when the time was right. And, good golly, was the timing ever right. :o)

The receptionist called Kaci and her boss up to the front. Naturally, when Kaci saw her mother-in-law randomly there with a stranger (moi), she looked a little confused. Well, very confused. After I assured her that everything was okay, this is what happened:

Later that afternoon I got an email from Jan. In it she shared the text message that Kaci had sent shortly after we surprised her:

“I am STILL in SHOCK and DISBELIEF and I feel like I should SHARE it with you… how stinkin CUTE!”

It is very easy to relate to Kaci. She is just like you and me – just a really GREAT mom who always, ALWAYS puts her family first. And thanks to the love and tenacity of her mother-in-law, Kaci will be able to put herself first, even if only for the duration of her 60 minute massage.

Congratulations to Kaci!

I figured that it would be pretty hard to top the energy of my meeting with Kaci, but was I ever surprised! My next stop was to meet Esther and, I am telling you, you are going to want to read about this dynamite lady.

Join us Monday for her story and to hear about the rest of my 2013 Nom the Mom adventure.

In the comments below, let us know how YOU spent Mother’s Day!

Tania was kind enough to chat with us a little bit about her teaching experience and receiving such a prestigious honor! (Did you like that 50 cent word I threw in there??)

Left to Right: Gov. Terry Branstad, Tania Johnson 2013 Iowa Teacher of the Year, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds. Photo credit: UNI.edu.

Who was your favorite teacher?
I had many favorite teachers so I can’t list just one. If I think about who my favorite teachers were and why. They were all my favorite for the same reasons, not because of how they taught me but because of the feeling they gave me … the feeling they really cared about me. From my favorite elementary teachers to my favorite middle school and high school  teachers, they all made a connection with me and showed they cared about me.

What made you decide to become a teacher?
I became a teacher because I had the opportunity to visit classrooms when I was in school and really liked helping the kids. I also think that the teachers I had influenced me to go into teaching. I had many experiences at UNI to find out I enjoyed teaching in the primary grades.

What is your favorite part of your job?
The kids and the families.

Where were you when you notified that you were Teacher of the Year?
The day after my interview I had a phone message from someone from Des Moines. I stopped at home to pick up the kids for piano, saw the message and returned the call in the car on the way to piano lessons. I didn’t realize it was “the call” since we weren’t supposed to find out for a week. When the person I was calling said, “Yes, this is Jason Glass, I called you.” I thought it might be and then when he said, “Congratulations!” I knew. I didn’t hear much more of what he said except that I couldn’t tell anyone until they announced it in September. So my family had to keep the secret for a month.

Who is the first person you told?
My kids were the first to figure it out, since they were in the car and heard me talking on the phone. I told my husband next. Everyone else had to wait.

How has this honor changed you?
I hope it hasn’t but I do believe this honor is going to give me the opportunity to learn a great deal about education in Iowa and the nation. I hope I can be a voice for teachers.

Were you nervous to accept the honor?
I was nervous to accept the honor and relieved to not have to keep the secret anymore. The best part about accepting the honor was being able to say thank-you to everyone who has been a part of making me who I am. Being the Teacher of the Year is not an honor that I have earned independently; so many people have encouraged, mentored, collaborated and worked with me over the years. I could not have done this alone.

Besides being named teacher of the year, what is your favorite memory from your career?
Too many memories of students to list ( great field trips, kindergarten excitement, seeing kids in public, getting National Board Certification, teaching overseas).

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be doing?
I always thought I would be a vet because I love animals but in reality I can’t imagine not being a teacher.

Thank you so much to Tania and all the other AMAZING teachers out there! We appreciate ALL that you do!

You know how Oscar nominees always say “It’s an honor just to be nominated!” Well, I think that that is particularly true in this contest. What mom wouldn’t want to hear how amazing she is??? So thank you to everyone who shared their lovely moms with us! I wish that we could have selected ALL of those that were nominated! But *sigh* it just isn’t possible.

So once again, I asked for a volunteer committee of five Linn Area employees to each separately review each entry and then submit their top 5 moms to me. A BIG thank you goes out to Jess (Finance), Stacey (Member Services), Debra (HR), Amy (Collections) and Matt (Compliance)! I complied their votes and the top 3 moms emerged to become your finalists in the Nom the Mom contest!

Now YOU have the toughest job of them all – CHOOSING the deserving mom who will win the Pampering Prize Package worth $250 (info on HOW to vote is right after the three stories).

Here they are, in alphabetical order:

The Mom: Esther

Nominated by: Dale (her son)

The Mom: Kaci

Nominated by: Jan (her mother-in-law)

The “SPECIAL” in the MOM I NOM is the over the TOP LOVE she exemplifies. She is a MOM whose children are her EVERYTHING. She is teaching them so many dynamic characteristics they will need to face the upcoming challenges of our next generation. She LEADS by example teaching them healthy eating habits , physical exercise and discipline. They have to earn their screen time by eating five veggies a day. Today, she told her 4 year old son she needed to grab a bite to eat before they ran errands and he said: Have a SALAD mom w/tomatoes !! Since a very young age she has taught them to read, spell, and math. She has taken them to the library since they were very young also and the 4 year old has had his OWN library card for several months. He knows what area his books are in and knows how to check them out. She has taught them the value of money and saving. If they see a PENNY in the street they will pick it up and put it in their banks.. They enjoy recycling and going “GREEN”.She has taught them it is important to respect others and their property. I have to say that our daughter-in-law is ABOVE & BEYOND any MOM I could ever dream of to raise our grandchildren ~~ THE NEXT GENERATION… (Click here to vote for Kaci now!)

The Mom: Pat

Nominated by: Katie (her daughter)

I’m nominating my mom because she has been my teacher, best friend, counselor, provider, and protector. She was a single mother raising both my sister and I as well as holding two jobs to pay for everything. She has had a few health problems but despite it she started a support group and helped others even though she had her own that she was trying to deal with. She always taught us values growing up, right from wrong, and to be nice to everyone no matter what they’ve done. She’s been there for me listening to me rant and rave about life and giving me advice to help me through. She’s always patient and kind even to complete strangers. She has always provided me with everything I needed love, nurturing, clothes, a safe home, and money when I was a little low. She has been my protector through a lot from bad relationships to my health issues that I’ve been going through for the past couple years. I’ve never been able to get her a really great gift and I think this would be the best gift ever and it couldn’t go to a more deserving person then my mom. I love you mom and all the support you’ve given me through my life! (Click here now to vote for Pat!)

How to vote!

To vote, click here! Anyone at all can vote – whether you have Facebook or not (we made sure of it!). Only one vote per person! We will be watching IP addresses and reserve the right to remove any votes we believe are not in compliance with our rules, so please play fair!

The knock-your-socks-off mom that gets the most votes by midnight on May 9th will win a Pampering Prize Package worth $250! So please go vote and help one deserving mom have the best Mother’s Day ever!

She wiped your drippy nose. She was at every soccer game, rain or sunshine. She has inspired you with her quiet (or not so quiet) confidence. She even has eyes in the back of her head. Now it’s time to celebrate her awesomeness!

For the third year in a row (has it already been that many??), we are honored to provide a relaxing pampering experience to one knock-your-socks-off Mom.

The Pampering Prize Package (value of $250):

A Stress-Fix Full Body Massage at City Looks Salon & Spa, a beautiful basket full of Stress-Fix Aveda products, and a $75 Visa Gift Card to spend on a lovely dinner out on the town.

To nominate that super-spectacular mom in your life (your mom, wife, sister, grandma, friend, co-worker, etc.) just fill out the form here. Be sure to include a picture of the lovely lady you are gushing about!

All entries are due by midnight on Monday, April 29^th. On Thursday, May 2^nd the top 3 submissions (as selected by Linn Area Credit Union) will be announced. Area residents will then be able to begin voting immediately. The mom who receives the most votes will win the Pampering Prize Package. Voting will end at midnight on Thursday, May 9^th. The winning Mom will be announced on Friday, May 10^th.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to Nom YOUR Mom!

We just have to let you in on a little secret… we are going to start filming new TV spots soon and want to feature some of our raving Linn Area fans! Before we can film anything, Linn Area Credit Union needs to find our next TV commercial STARS! That’s where you come in.

You love us? Check. You don’t mind just a little bit of attention? Check. You’ve got a sparkling personality and a winning smile? Check. Yep, you’re exactly the kind of person we’re looking for!

Throwing your hat into the ring is super simple. All you have to do is go here to fill out a questionnaire and be sure to include a picture. Bada-boom, you’re in like flynn.

All entries submitted will be considered for interviews with our TV production team (you would be contacted no later than April 19^th). Even if you aren’t ultimately selected to do a TV spot, you just might be featured on our website or blog.

All entries must be submitted no later than Thursday, April 11^th at midnight. So giddy up, Linn Areanites!

I chatted with Linn Area Credit Union’s Fraud Specialist Liz to get her tips for a safer online shopping experience:

Before you even get started…

• Secure your computer: Ensure that your computer has up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software and firewall. This software is available at all price points, including fah-fah-FREE. Make sure to do some research to see what will work best for you. Here’s one article that can help you get started.
• Make sure your web browser is updated: Use the latest version of your web browser and set it to the highest level. (Need help finding the latest version of your web browser? Go here if you use Internet Explorer. The browser Firefox updates happen automatically, but you can read more here on how to look for updates manually.)
  
• Isolate the spending: Get a credit card just for using online so you can monitor transactions easily. This credit card should not be associated with your debit card. Check out our rock star credit cards here, including one that you where you earn Reward points!  (Liz’s tip: If it comes out of your checking account, it could mess up your account balance if the store places a hold on a larger amount than the total of your purchase or if you happen to get charged multiple times.)
  
• Keep Paypal your pal: Set up a Paypal account (click here) and use it whenever possible while shopping online. Be sure to check the accounts that Paypal debits from frequently to quickly detect fraud.
• Be strict about passwords: Use a different password for each site on which you have an account; do not allow your browser to store passwords for you. We recommend that you use a combination of letters and numbers. (Liz’s tip: It’s always a good idea to change up your passwords on a regular basis!)

Now that you’re ready to shop…

• Go straight to the site: Type a store’s Web address directly into your web browser instead of using a search engine to retrieve it. Cybercriminals plant malicious links that look like popular sites within the first few pages of search results. (Liz’s tip: This also counts for coupons that are emailed to you. Don’t use the links within the email. Ever.)
  
• Do your research: If you’re buying from an unknown retailer, be sure to check reviews, their address and verify the landline number you can contact them on. (Liz’s tip: A quick Google search for reviews on an unknown retailer can save you A LOT of hassle later.)
  
• Look for the “signs of security”: On sites where you’re making a financial transaction, look for “https” in the address bar and a padlock icon in the web browser Status Bar. On sites where the retailer uses extended SSL validation, look for the address bar to turn green on secured pages.

Before you purchase your items…

• Know the return policy like the back of your hand: Make sure you know the store’s policies and procedures. How long do you have to return the product if you’re not happy with it? 14 days? 30 days? Keep in mind that if you are purchasing around a holiday, shipping might be slower, so if the store has a 14 day return policy, it’s possible you may not receive the product before the 14 day return window expires. (Liz’s tip: I find that online retailers who also have brick and mortar stores tend to be the easiest to work with on returns.)
  
• Keep your eye on that receipt: Once you buy your item, you’ll want to print out the receipt. This gives you a sales confirmation, which is the best way to protect yourself in case the vendor tries to charge more or something goes wrong with delivery.

Aren’t we done yet? Nope, while you wait for your goodies to arrive…

• Watch for seasonal scams: Be wary of spam emails claiming to be shipping confirmation or undeliverable package alerts that require you to open an attachment. Delete any message that claims to contain tracking information, but which lacks a tracking number in either the subject or body of the message. The safest way to track a package is through the shipper’s website or the online store where you made the purchase.
• Brand name scams: Does that typically pricey item look untypically cheap? Beware. How does the saying go? Ahhh, yes – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. We have seen a common theme of people typing an item into a search engine and finding the item for a jaw-droppingly low price. Be wary and use your research to ensure that there are no surprises when that box arrives… or doesn’t arrive at all. (Liz’s two cents: I’ve seen fake tablets, fake Uggs, and knock offs of almost every clothing brand you can think of. Be careful!)

A big thanks to Liz for all of her helpful tips! Goodbye, trip to the store! Helloooo, sweatpants!

So tell us in the comments below – how much of your shopping do you do online???

We’ve moved over a few blocks into a new, beautiful building at 3375 7th Ave that is now tech savvy enough to handle all of our members’ growing needs! It even features a fresh way of banking – pod style. No, it doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck into a spaceship or anything – we’ve gotten rid of the teller line and now have welcoming areas for you to interact more personally with our team members.

To help celebrate our Grand Opening, we gave away an iPad to one very lucky recipient. And here she is now:

Congratulations, Sierra! We hope you ADORE your new iPad!

Millions of dollars each year are spent on creams, pills and procedures to look and feel younger. Books FLY off the e-bookshelf to learn the latest and best way to stay young. Why do we try so hard when the answer is much more simple? Well, Cedar Rapids & Marion and surrounding areas, you are on the cusp of learning the secret. You want to know the secret? I know you do. *whispering * Blue Zones.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have probably heard the buzz around town about the Blue Zone, including the exciting event, BLUEhemia, that is happening TOMORROW in the New Bohemia Main Street District (click here for more info!). Check out this super cute Harlem Shake video promoting it:

Let me give you a little background on Blue Zones and why this should matter to you: In 2004, Dan Buettner teamed up with National Geographic and hired the world’s best longevity researchers to identify pockets around the world where people lived measurably better. They decided to refer to these special slices of communities as “Blue Zones”. In these Blue Zones they found that people reach age 100 at rates 10 times greater than in the United States. Without the use of pills, creams and procedures, these groups have found the extra 10 years that we’ve been searching for! What the team consistently discovered was a trend of 9 basic principles that helped people make the right choices to live a longer, yet more healthy life. In Blue Zone lingo, these are the Power 9. *insert a dramatic clashing of cymbals here*

Two years ago Dan spoke to a room full of people in Cedar Rapids and shared a plan to bring these concepts to Iowa. He spent a lot of time talking about how his team set a similar plan in motion in the Albert Lea, MN community and it made a huge change in their health. Fast forward over a lot of hard work to get to 2013 – zip, boom, bang- we are now a designation site for Blue Zones! A heartfelt THANK YOU to all the peeps in CR that made this happen!

If you want to join the fun and get to know how you too can live the Power 9 principles join the town this weekend at BLUEhemia at your NewBo market. Find out more about Blue Zones here or get more information on tomorrow’s New Bluehemia event go here.

So, please, let’s put down the creams, pick up the veggies and move naturally our way to aging “healthfully”. See you there!

Thank you to our Training Specialist Patricia for not only writing this little diddy, but for all of her hard work on the Blue Zone project over the two years! Your Linn Area family is very proud of you!

One of the days during the build, Linn Area Credit Union provided lunch for the women participating. Three friendly Linn Area faces were part of the event and have each written about their experience. Here are their stories:

Bonnie, Senior Account Representative at Mt. Vernon Road:

Ever since I heard about a home being built in Iowa City five years ago, I have wanted to do a Women Build project.  My cousin was working on that particular project and I thought, “How cool would that be to be a part of!”  This year, a close friend of mine happened to be on the committee that finds people to help serve lunch to the volunteers. I told her I had always wanted to do be part of Women Build and she gave me info to volunteer.

It was such an amazing experience, we started the day off with lifting thanks to our higher power and the blessings he has given to each of us and the family that will live in the home.  The family was there helping, so we had an opportunity to visit at lunch and breaks. This made the experience so much more of a blessing for me. The day before we came to help, the walls, foundation and some stairs to the back door were completed.  Our day was spent setting the interior walls, framing out closets and the kitchen, bathroom and laundry area. We even set the roof tresses! I was actually standing in the tresses at the end of the day helping to lay the sheeting on the roof – and I have a fear of heights! No belt. Just weaving in and out of tresses and 2×4′s – amazing!

The day was filled with new friendships, laughter, a huge sense of pride and a few hammered thumbs. It was a great experience and I can’t wait to be able to help again.  I want to say a BIG thank you to LACU for providing lunch for the 25 volunteers we had that day.  We all worked up an appetite but thought the sandwich was too big and we would only eat half (a girl thing), but I ate all of my lunch that day :).

Sandra, Financial Counselor at Mt. Vernon Road:

Volunteering was so much fun! I was there to help serve lunch. Meeting the women who were hard at work was awesome!  The women volunteering were from all walks of life – from a retired woman from a different state, to a college sorority, along with all different cultures and races. It was amazing thing to see everyone join together for a greater cause!  I volunteered because it makes me feel so good inside to be able to help.  I might not always be able to give money, but I can give a little bit of my time to help. I even brought my kids along so they could understand how important it is to help people, no matter where they come from.

Bobbie, Finance Department at Blairs Ferry:

This is something that I have always wanted to help with. When Bonnie asked for volunteers, I wanted to help, but had too many things going on that day. So when the opportunity came along to help serve lunches at the site, I said that I could help with that.  Hy-Vee dropped off box lunches for the crew, and all we had to do was organize by sandwich and hand them to the workers -very simple.

I learned a lot, not just about Women Build Project, but Habitat for Humanity.  There is so much that they do and so many people they help. It was really amazing. If the opportunity arises again, I think that I would actually like to be a part of the construction in some way.

WE WANT TO KNOW: Do you volunteer? Why?