For the City Times
Submitted by Angie Loucks, United Way of Inner Wisconsin Volunteer Center Director

As we usher in the New Year, many people are making Resolutions:  to lose weight, to quit smoking, to live healthier, etc.  Here is a resolution that’s easy to achieve: resolve to volunteer in 2018.

Ruth Kruger is already putting her hopes for the community into action by volunteering for Childcaring, Inc., a program that offers assistance and support to child care programs, families, and the community. Their services include: business start-up assistance, linking families looking for child care, continuing education, newsletters and more.

Ruth enjoys working in an office environment so she laminates materials, prepares packets for the presenters as they get ready for a training, copies and collates materials, and sorts books.

“Childcaring does lots of trainings for childcare providers, such as teaching art to kids; how to deal with different age levels; or behavior management for little ones,” said Kruger.  “The staff at Childcaring might have me making examples of art projects or laminating ‘feelings charts’ for each participant. At the end of each training, participants are asked to fill out a survey so I’ll enter that into the computer.  Whatever they need done… I’ll do it!”

Ruth started volunteering for Childcaring when her niece, Carrie – who works at Childcaring – asked her to help out.

“The staff doesn’t have time to do these things,” said Kruger.  “But it’s still important and it needs to get done.  So many parents work these days and it’s important for kids to have a safe place to learn while they grow up.”

Ruth will tell you she doesn’t do much, but the truth is she’s been volunteering all around the world. She’s worked at orphanages in Guatemala and Haiti; and was building ramps at a Native American reservation in the Bayfield area.

She also assisted in doing home repairs in Texas; helped build a church camp in Hawaii; and makes flood buckets and hygiene kits through UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Sager Brown through her church, Port Edwards United Methodist.

“I’ve seen enough of the world to realize how lucky we are,” said Kruger.  “When you get back from a trip, the things you used to worry about are not important anymore – not when you know people are living in tents with dirt floors.  We need to be grateful with what we have.”

If you’d like to put YOUR hopes for the community into action, reach out to the Volunteer Center at 715-421-0390 or visitwww.volunteerinnerwisc.org.  Now you don’t have to spend time looking for a New Year’s Resolution – we’ve got you covered.

Quick Facts About Ruth Kruger:

·       Nominating Agency:  Childcaring, Inc.

·       Residence:  Wisconsin Rapids

·       Family:  Ruth is married to Tim; they have three adult children (two in New York City and one in Eau Claire), one grandchild and one on the way.

·       Occupation:  a retired in-home child care provider.

·       Hobbies and interests:  camping, traveling.