April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, and at the OCF, one month a year is not enough time to convey the appreciation we have for our volunteers. We could not fulfill our mission to activate generosity for a strong community without the dedicated group of volunteers who donate their time, energy, expertise, perspectives, and treasure to making us better. Thank you, OCF Volunteers!
This May marks the 10th 100+ Women Who Care event hosted by the OCF. We are highlighting one of our amazing and dedicated 100+ WWC Ambassadors, Jacki Baron. Jacki has been working on making 100+ WWC an amazing and fun philanthropic event for (?) years. She was born and raised in Otsego County, graduating from Gaylord High School in 2004. After graduation, Jacki attended college in Grand Rapids and moved to Utah in 2009 to enjoy the outdoors and teach. Her hope was to eventually return to Michigan. Fourteen years later, Jacki, along with her husband and two daughters, moved back to Gaylord to be closer to family. She teaches for Gaylord Community Schools and enjoys showing her family all the fun and beauty Northern Michigan has to offer. Her husband, Sean, established an architecture design business called Gruv Design Studio, and her daughters are avid skiers, swimmers, adventurers, and proud public library card holders.
To learn more about Jacki, here she is in her own words:
1. What do you love about Otsego County?
First and foremost, I love that we live in such a picturesque area. The natural beauty of our lakes and forests is unparalleled. Beyond that, I love to see what wonderful things can be accomplished when a small community comes together. We really have a gem of a community in our county. I am consistently impressed by people with new ideas and ways to help one another. We have so many people with unique passions, and it is so rewarding to see them expressed in our area.
2. What are your hopes for Otsego County?
As a parent of young children and a teacher, I hope that we can continue and expand opportunities to enrich the lives of children and teens in our county. Arts, sports, and special interest clubs and groups can inspire and motivate our youth. Giving our youth opportunities to explore technology, engineering, architecture, and science will open doors to unique skills and opportunities in the future. I also hope to continue fostering a sense of community in our amazing downtown area here in Gaylord. Through the work of Snowbelt Brewing Company as well as Gaylord Arts and many other groups, we can experience music, art, and camaraderie right here in our backyard. Alpenfest is a rich community tradition and draws crowds from all over our state and beyond! It is these community events that make our county a destination for tourism and commerce.
3. What are you looking forward to working with the OCF?
I truly enjoy meeting the dynamic people, the “doers” of our community. I love the positive mindset and problem-solving capabilities of this growing and mighty group of people. All of the people who work with the foundation from the board to the donors, to the community shareholders, and beyond continue to inspire me daily.