National Volunteer Month – April 2024
For Samantha (“Sam”) Aronow and Mark Gershon, two of Family Service of Glencoe’s (“FSG”) esteemed Board members, volunteerism is more than something to add to their resume: it is a deep calling to better their community and causes they hold dear by being part of change for the better. In recognition of National Volunteer Month, and in anticipation of our upcoming benefit, Glencoe Under the Stars, FSG sat down with the event co-chairs for an enlightening conversation about the role FSG plays in our community and the impact they hope to have on an organization that deeply resonates with them.
Sam first joined the FSG Board of Directors in 2021 as a member of our finance committee, which well-aligned with her interests and expertise. An experienced estate planning, business succession, and tax planning attorney, Sam is proud to lend her strong skillset in financial management to an organization at the heart of her beloved community. She is immensely proud of FSG for its accessibility to a wide spectrum of care for Glencoe and neighboring communities, most notably FSG’s senior programming and 24/7 crisis intervention partnership with Glencoe Public Safety, both of which she admires for being innovative compared to other communities. For Sam, chairing Glencoe Under the Stars is the nexus of many of her passions: an opportunity to raise awareness of and funds for an organization providing vital services in her community and to meet more members of our community who share a passion for supporting the mental health and well-being of all. She hopes that they, too, will feel connected to the organization and its mission, and she looks forward to them eventually finding a volunteer opportunity that resonates with them and drives them toward success. It is a volunteer dream for her to collaborate with her respected friend, Mark Gershon, to ensure accessibility of mental health care for all, and she looks forward to welcoming old friends and meeting new ones at Glencoe Under the Stars.
Mark Gershon, a skilled leader who lends his time to several organizations, felt an immediate connection to FSG upon attending Glencoe Under the Stars two years ago. After absorbing the presentation, he said it would have been impossible not to be touched by the speakers’ messages. He left the event knowing he had to get involved with FSG; an organization providing invaluable resources to his community. Mark understands that success in volunteering stems from finding an organization that is both meaningful and enjoyable, and he experiences both qualities in everything he does for FSG. He is inspired by working with like-minded people collaborating toward a common goal of bettering their community, and he prides himself on leading the charge to bring in more sponsorship dollars than ever before for Glencoe Under the Stars. For Mark, the great secret of volunteering is that you get as much or more out of it as the person in need.
Sam and Mark warmly invite you to join FSG at their annual benefit, Glencoe Under the Stars, on May 3rd. For more information, to buy tickets or sponsorships, or to donate to the cause, please visit www.glencoeunderthestars.org. They look forward to meeting you, learning more about what motivates you, and pairing you with an inspirational opportunity to support FSG.
If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering at FSG or joining our board, visit www.familyserviceofglencoe.org/volunteer.