Thursday, March 28, 2024

Creating Summer Memories with Volunteers at the Marq!

Summer break is ending, but the mark left on the Community Services Department by our volunteers will stay forever.

Our mission is to create world-class experiences, and our volunteers help reach this goal every time they come and serve our community. From the Senior Activity Center to Champions Club, our summer is busy with various camps and events. Some of the tasks performed by our volunteers include cleaning the equipment at Champions Club, helping staff prepare for Stars and Stripes, leading camps for Camp Mania, and coordinating programs for the Senior Center.

We had the chance to ask one of our volunteers about her experience at the Marq, and here is what she had to say.

“Volunteering at the senior center is a truly special time in my day. I genuinely look forward to the smiles that light up the faces of my senior friends, and the jokes I share with Andrew and Tammie. The interactions and sweet conversations with them resonate deeply in my heart. These precious short hours of serving at the center bring back beautiful memories of my late grandparents whom I miss dearly.” —Jillian Lim.

We had a great volunteer turnout this summer. Our Community Services Volunteers worked over 1,982 hours, estimated at a value of $63,000 of service. Thank you for the work you did running our Summer Camps, taking ownership of our Champions Club facility, and putting smiles on our seniors’ faces. This year we also added more volunteer opportunities with the Great American Cleanup and TAAF Region 4 Swim Meet!

Thank you to our amazing volunteers for pouring your heart and time into making a difference in our community. Your selfless service is truly changing lives and inspiring us all! Together, we created a world-class experience this summer. Even though summer is wrapping up, we have volunteer opportunities year-round!

Are you interested in volunteering with the Community Services Department as well? Visit VolunteerSouthlake.com to learn how to get started!

Community Services Department Wins Two Programming TRAPS North Region Awards

Community programming is a quintessential aspect of Parks and Recreation. The goal of the Community Services team is to create world-class experiences for our residents and participants.

 

Recently, the Community Services Department learned that it won two awards from the Texas Recreation and Parks Society North Region. The Southlake Senior Activity Center’s Floral Friends Program won the Excellence in Programming Award (Class II).  The Southlake Arts Council won the Arts and Humanities Programming Award (Class II) for the Southlake Presents Art Show and Competition.

 

These two awards represent our community’s commitment to excellence in the field of Recreation. We are proud to receive this recognition because these two programs highlight the extraordinary efforts of Southlake residents. 

 

Let’s learn a bit more about each award.

 

Floral Friends Program

The Floral Friends program is simple. Every week, a senior center member picks up unsold flowers from a local grocer through a community partnership and delivers them to the Senior Activity Center. Once dropped off, another group of volunteer seniors works on arranging the flowers into masterpieces that elevate the visitor experience at Legends Hall.

 

The Floral Friends program unites our senior volunteers through the common goals of learning, taking pride in their shared space, and bringing joy to those who utilize the facility. They work hard to make the Senior Activity Center at The Marq a home away from home for visitors and employees alike! This cost-neutral program also strengthened community relations and improved waste reduction while providing vital social and creative interactions for our active adults. The benefits of this program are three-fold. It builds a long-lasting partnership with a local business, reduces waste by utilizing unsellable flowers through an in-kind donation, provides an avenue for a low-to-no-cost program for the senior center, and brings our Senior community joy. Talent-sharing, catering to the needs of our senior community and supporting our local businesses perfectly tie into the City of Southlake’s Strategy Map principle of Partnership and Volunteerism.

 

The Southlake Senior Activity Center is so proud of our Floral Friends volunteers for being recognized for their dedication to beautifying our shared spaces. 

 

Southlake Presents Art Show and Competition

The Southlake Presents Art Show and Competition was the brainchild of the Southlake Arts Council. It was brought to life by a partnership that included City staff, Arts Council members, the APEX Arts League, and local Southlake artists. The Southlake Arts Council desired to emphasize the significance of the arts in Southlake by mounting a public art exhibit that only featured pieces created by Southlake residents for the first time. Planning began in early 2022, and the application period lasted from January to March 15. The program was advertised on the City’s social media, the Experience Southlake website, and My Southlake News. 

 

Twenty-four local artists entered over 70 original pieces into the competition by the time the deadline rolled around. The Southlake Arts Council selected 15 unique pieces ranging from oil and watercolor on canvas, photography, and mixed media, to quilt art for the exhibit. 

 

In addition to the exhibit, the City of Southlake, the Southlake Arts Council, and the APEX Arts League partner to provide a public art reception to kick off every new public art display in the Town Hall. The Southlake Presents Art Show Reception was on Sunday, May 1, at 5:00 PM in the Town Hall Lobby. Participating artists and their families came to celebrate their art and answer questions.

 

Congratulations to our Senior Activity Center Floral Friends volunteers and the Southlake Arts Council for being recognized for your extraordinary commitment to strengthening our community.

 

The Community Services Department will publicly accept both awards at the TRAPS North Region Conference at the Irving Convention Center on Thursday, November 3.

 

Thanks for Making Your Marq, Summer Volunteers!

Summer break is officially over, but we couldn’t let another day go by without thanking the incredible volunteers that spent their summer with the Community Services Department.

Our mission is to create world-class experiences, and our volunteer base helps us achieve that mission every day. The summer months are our busiest time as a department, and volunteers are crucial to providing outstanding recreational services. Our volunteers play a vital role in the Community Services Department, from serving as Volunteer Counselors at Summer Camp Mania, keeping Champions Club clean as we increase our membership, to sending Happy Birthday emails to our Senior Activity Center members,

We had a great volunteer turnout this summer. Our Community Services Volunteers worked over 1,700 volunteer hours equaling $43,000 of service. Thank you for the work you did running our Summer Camps, taking ownership of our Champions Club facility, and putting smiles on our seniors’ faces. Whether you put in 2 hours of work or over 100, your contribution made a difference.

We are so grateful to each volunteer that spent their time with us this summer. Your impact was felt, and we look forward to seeing you again here soon!

Are you interested in volunteering with the Community Services Department as well? Visit VolunteerSouthlake.com to learn how to get started!

Meet Bora Sulollari, One of the Shining Stars of the City Manager’s Office!

The City of Southlake places incredible importance on internships. Throughout the numerous departments, there are many opportunities to explore the City and make a difference. Many times, those interns find their place and stay within the walls of Town Hall.

As Bora Sulollari walked in for her first day as an intern at the City of Southlake, she was greeted with big smiles and new experiences.

“I felt so welcomed from the first moment I stepped into the building,” said Sulollari. “My time as an intern was so important to me, not only because of the valuable things I got to learn and experience but also because of the amazing people I got the chance to work with daily.”

Sulollari began her journey as a Management Intern. After obtaining her Master’s in Public Administration, she worked her way up to a full-time role as a City Manager’s Office Management Assistant. In her role, she assists the CMO with various budgetary, research, strategic management functions, and much more. “I’m forever grateful for all the various insightful projects I have gotten the chance to collaborate on,” she mentioned.

At the City of Southlake, our interns’ talents span many departments and topics. Several other full-time employees got their start just like Bora Sulollari and they continue to service the City through their dedication and commitment to excellence.

Making Their Marq: A Special Thank You to Our Summer Volunteers

The Marq Southlake opened its doors to volunteers once again on June 1, 2021, and service-minded individuals heeded the call!

The Community Services Department had exceptional youth volunteerism this summer. Our volunteers play a vital role in our mission to create life-long memories. From assisting seniors at the Senior Activity Center, keeping Champions Club in tip-top shape, to ensuring Nature Camp and Camp Mania campers had a summer to remember, our volunteers stepped up to the plate!

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community while learning crucial life skills. Marq volunteers experienced what it takes to keep facilities like the Senior Center and Champions Club operating at the highest level to ensure world-class service and member satisfaction. From facilitating weekly luncheons at the Senior Center to helping with birthday parties and member appreciation events at Champions Club, our youth volunteers gained valuable customer service skills.

The Marq was not the only place where volunteers made a difference this summer. Outstanding Camp Mania and Nature Camp volunteers worked an average of 40 hours each to ensure our summer camps were safe and fun for all camp participants. Gaining important programing and childcare experience, our volunteers were vital to our camps’ success every year!
The impact our volunteers had cannot be overstated. This summer, our volunteers served more than 200 hours at the Senior Activity Center, more than 280 hours at Champions Club, and over 1,300 hours at summer camp!

Here’s what some of our volunteer liaisons had to say:

“Through the dedication, willingness, and care of our volunteers, the Senior Activity Center was able to continue its exceptional programming without interruptions. We depend on our volunteers’ creativity and helping hands to enhance the experience of our seniors at the Senior Center.” —Soheila Phelps, Senior Services Coordinator.

“Volunteering for any program is a privilege. Each camp volunteer made an impact and positive connection to all of our campers, counselors and parents. I appreciate all the hard work. They enjoyed swimming, ice cream, snow cones, and bounce houses. But the most important thing is they enjoyed the service and gave back to their community. This community is special thanks to our camp volunteers.” —Gretchen Morgan, Programs Coordinator.

Thank you so much to our wonderful volunteers! We can’t wait to see you again! Learn how to volunteer with us here!

Become a Student Volunteer with SYAC

Are you a high school student living in Southlake or attending CISD? Would you enjoy learning more about the City of Southlake, attending City events and earning volunteer hours? Then you should fill out an SYAC application today!

SYAC members will meet on the first Monday of each month at 4:15 p.m. at Southlake Town Hall.

SYAC is accepting applications through October 1, 2018. View and print the application.

What is SYAC? The Southlake Youth Action Commission is a group aimed at teaching students more about their local government. Commission members will meet with City leaders as well as attend City events and participate in volunteer opportunities.

If you’re a student and you’d like to learn more about what government looks like at the local level, SYAC is a great opportunity. Apply to join today!

Learn more about SYAC by visiting www.cityofsouthlake.com. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Cassie Tucker at (817) 748-8036.

Southlake Volunteers Recognized with the Presidential Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award

Kiko and Dee Ekstrom were recently recognized by Southlake Sister Cities and the Southlake City Council for their longtime service to the City.

“Kiko and Dee have given thousands of hours to Southlake through their service to Southlake Sister Cities,” said City Manager Shana Yelverton. “We are so grateful for their commitment and how they have worked to establish such a strong Sister Cities program in Southlake, particularly with the city of Tome, Japan.”

Kiko and Dee with councilKiko and Dee have been involved in Southlake Sister Cities for 26 years and worked tirelessly from the beginning when they helped establish the program in 1991. The Ekstroms have served in a variety of volunteer roles with Kiko serving as the president of the Southlake Sister Cities board.  They have overseen the youth exchange programs which has connected well over 500 students from both countries and have organized numerous adult visits.

Sister Cities’ 1st Vice President Barbara Walker praised the Ekstroms role in fostering friendship and understanding  at the June 19 Council meeting saying, “These relationships are pivotal to fulfilling the goal of Sister Cities which is to create citizen ambassadors.”

The Presidential Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award is given to individuals who have completed more than 4,000 hours of volunteer work in their lifetime.  A plaque commemorating Kiko and Dee’s service and lifetime achievement award will be permanently installed in Southlake’s Town Hall in the coming months.

The Force is Strong with Southlake’s Library Volunteers

The force is strong with Southlake’s Library volunteers who recently attended a special screening of the movie Star Wars – The Last Jedi at Harkins Theater in Southlake.

The event was a huge success with over sixty people in attendance. It was a great time to celebrate their service with their peers. The event definitely reflects these volunteers motto, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Southlake volunteers provide an invaluable service to the City its residents and business communities. They contribute thousands of hours each year assisting with multiple City-wide events and programs. It’s difficult to put a price on the work that they do but here are some stats to give you an idea.

In 2017, volunteers spent 28,339 hours working for the City. That’s a cost-savings to the City of $698,840. The volunteers range in age from teenagers to seniors, all doing their part to further the goals and mission of the City of Southlake. Often, parents and kids team up to volunteer together. If you or someone you know would like to become a volunteer, just follow this link for more information.

The City plans to hold other appreciation events to celebrate the work of individual departments during 2018. The City-wide, all-inclusive annual volunteer awards and appreciation event is scheduled for later this year.

 

We Love Our Volunteers!

Time is a precious gift that can never be returned once it is given, and the City of Southlake is extremely grateful to all the volunteers who give their time to serve and give back to the community. This past year volunteer efforts accumulated to over 28,000 hours of service which is equivalent to nearly 14 full-time employees with a cost value of $698,850!

On Tuesday, April 18th, Volunteer Southlake recognized over forty volunteers who met the criteria for a Presidential Service Award  as well as our Service Milestone and overall Junior and Adult Volunteer Service Award Medal. The evening began with a light reception in the Town Hall Lobby followed by a special recognition during the Council Meeting.

The evening itself was very special and allowed for volunteers and staff to spend time engaging with each other while also celebrating the service accomplishments of the past year. Many stories were shared, and some volunteers took the time to write what motivates them to volunteer in our memory book:

“I find it an honor to be able to be of service to the citizens of Southlake” – Leroy McCall

“I volunteered at the senior center because I loved to help the elders there. Volunteering helped me grow into a better person. I recommend everyone to volunteer two times a month!” – Nikhil Nandigama

“[Volunteering] really shows the best thing about this City: the people.” – Morgan H. Smith

Council Member Shafi summed up the night perfectly with his testament and recognition of every volunteer who has served the City in some capacity who were not in the room that night:

“[Volunteers] make our community a healthy, vibrant, loving place to live and raise a family. I want to recognize people who are not in the room. There is probably a larger fraction of volunteers all around the City in their own neighborhoods and their own churches, and other organizations who volunteer their time, so we thank those volunteers for making our community such a great place, thank you.”Council Member Shafi

With the conclusion of this “Volunteer Fiscal Year” we thank all the volunteers who contributed their time, and we look forward to another amazing year of service; a year full of memories to be made and new bonds to be formed between the City of Southlake and the incredible people who give their time freely to make Southlake the best place to live, work and play.

Want to volunteer with the City? Find out how by visiting the Volunteer Southlake page!