United Way Volunteer of the Month for April 2010

Jim Gill

Jim Gill, who volunteers for Muskingum Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America has been named the United Way of Coshocton County Volunteer of the Month.

Jim has been and still is one of the most vital contributors to Scouting in Coshocton County for the last 34 years. Although he only spent 2 years as a youth in Scouting, Jim found that the values Scouting offers shaped him into the man he is today.

Gill has held many positions with the Boy Scouts at the unit level, including: Assistant Cubmaster, Cubmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, and Scoutmaster. While he was Scoutmaster, he had 25 Scouts earn the highest youth award a Boy Scout can earn, the Eagle Scout award. He has also volunteered at the District Level as the Membership, Finance, Order of the Arrow, and Camping Chair and is currently the Eagle Scout Advancement Chairman for Coshocton and southern Tuscarawas Counties. Jim’s service has not stopped there. The Boy Scouts of America is currently celebrating their 100th Anniversary, and Jim is sitting on that committee and co-chaired the Eagle Scout Gathering Celebration in April, where 23 Eagle Scouts were in attendance.

He has also been involved at the Council level by sitting on the Properties Committee for 29 years and is currently the Vice-President of Properties for the Muskingum Valley Council.

Jim has earned many awards in Scouting, including the highest award that Scouting can bestow on a volunteer, the Silver Beaver Award.

Jeff Wickerham, District Director for the Muskingum Council, submitted Gill for this award and said, “Jim is one of those volunteers that only come around once in-a-while. He has given unselfishly to the Scouting program week after week, month after month, and year after year. On any given weekend, you will find him at the Muskingum Valley Scout Reservation working on different projects. He is someone that will get the job done and do it right the first time… someone that I can count on!”

In addition to his Scouting projects, Jim has been the co-chair of building the weight room at Coshocton High School, co-chaired the renovation of the field house and restrooms at Coshocton High School’s Stewart Field, was director and coach of the Coshocton Little League football program for 20 years, coached basketball and baseball for several years, co-chaired the Industrial Division for the United Way Campaign and served as Deacon and Trustee for the Presbyterian Church.

Jim is married to Mary Ann and has a son, Jay Gill.

The Muskingum Valley Council is a United Way agency providing services to 2,800 youth in 7-1/2 counties in central and southeastern Ohio. If interested in becoming a member of the Boy Scouts of America, contact the Muskingum Valley Council at 1-800-934-2128.

The Board of Control and Staff of United Way of Coshocton County, Inc., would like to congratulate and thank Jim Gill for being recognized as a person in our community who has willingly volunteered his time and talents to improve the lives of the people in our community.

Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED.

March 2010 Volunteer Of The Month

Becky Lerch

Becky Lerch, who volunteers for R.S.V.P. (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) has been named the United Way of Coshocton County Volunteer of the Month for her service as a tutor in math to area students for over three years.

Lerch was a high school math teacher for 29 years which included teaching at Ridgewood and Newcomerstown high schools. For the fall quarter/semester she helped students from Central Ohio Technical College and Ohio State University students from Newark, Ohio. This Winter she has three C.O.T.C. students and a high school student for formal proofs only. When she began Algebra I in high school, she loved it and now shares her knowledge with her students. Becky says, “If I can help anyone, especially adults with families, jobs and obligations, to understand and get further education, I feel it will be a help to them. Sometimes it is as easy as just showing a different way of doing the problem”. Lerch receives no monetary compensation for her services.

She resides in Coshocton with her husband Jim. Her son and his wife, along with her two grandchildren reside in Soderhamn, Sweden. She is a member, Elder and Clerk of Session at Presbyterian Church and belongs to its Thursday morning prayer fellowship.

Pat Shyrock, Coshocton County Coordinator for R.S.V.P., submitted Lerch for this award and said, “I’ve known Becky for years and while she was going to college. She is a fun and caring person to be around. Her service, compassion, and commitment should serve as inspiration to others to volunteer a service they can provide to help others”.

R.S.V.P. (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) is a program of Kno-Ho-Co Ashland C.A.C. which links retired seniors to their community by placing them in various agencies and businesses where their skills and expertise can be used. They have been a United Way Community Partner since 2003 and are always looking for new volunteers. For further information about the program, please contact Pat Shyrock at 622-4852.

The Board of Control and Staff of United Way of Coshocton County, Inc., would like to congratulate and thank Becky Lerch for being recognized as a person in our community who has willingly volunteered her time and talents to improve the lives of the people in our community.

Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED.

Mobilizing people and other resources improves the quality of life in our community. United Way of Coshocton County, Inc. is interested in being a resource to:

Connect volunteers
Build capacity
Promote volunteerism
Meet local needs

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer:
Contact the United Way office at 740-622-4567 or email us.

Register your organization with the United Way
Submit your organization's volunteer opportunities to United Way

Volunteers Needed

Scouting (Boys & Girls) - Adults needed for Troop Leaders, Camp Volunteers
TLC - Tutors (grades 7-12)
Red Cross - Water Safety Instructors, Disaster Volunteers, CPR & First Aid Instructors
Big Brothers Big Sisters - Big Brother, Big Sister, SMILE Volunteer, Side by Side Mentor
RSVP - Senior adult volunteers needed for clerical work, reading to children, entertain at the Senior Center, etc.
Rainbow Children's Center - Adults volunteer in the classroom, on the playground, on field trips
Handicapped Society - Adults needed to build ramps, deliver and pick up equipment, repair equipment, etc.
Salvation Army - Adults needed to stock food pantry, sort items for clothing room, MAXX (teen outreach program) volunteer
Summer Recreation Programs - Coaches, Adults and teens to keep grounds in order, Concession stand operators
Arthritis Foundation - Aquatics Program volunteers, Special Event volunteers
See the Community Partner Agencies page for more contact information.

Board of Control

This volunteer group of leaders from our community steers the United Way of Coshocton County. Meeting once monthly, the Board of Control oversees nearly all aspects of the organization.