Jody Walker lived in Denver, Colorado, and is currently studying for her Bachelor’s degree in Forensic Accounting through the Minnesota School of Business of Globe University. As part of her degree program, she was assigned to take on two major volunteer endeavors. For her managerial accounting class, she was tasked with finding a service learning project, defined as learning by doing through an act of giving. Through her global citizenship class, she had to tackle global issues afflicting humanity.
For her service learning project, Walker was required to identify a not-for-profit organization and complete a breakeven financial analysis of one of their fundraising events. Because of her close personal relationship with supporters of Help End Abuse for Life and those affected by domestic violence, she approached HEAL Executive Director Coleen Widell about a project. As luck would have it, HEAL was in the beginning planning stages of its 2013 Deacon Bob Open charity golf tournament.
Walker completed her first assignment by looking at everything from the costs of renting a golf course to the price of competing in the tournament to calculate the necessary turnout to make the golf tournament pay off. She also presented a report, approved by her professor, to the HEAL Education & Planning Committee, complete with considerations for donations and sponsorships, which lower overall cost and accomplish profit quicker, and possible financial rewards of HEAL’s endeavors.
For her second project, Walker had to look at a global issue, learn about it and become part of the solution. Because of her ties to HEAL and her experience with victims and survivors of abuse, she chose to take on more work with HEAL’s mission. She volunteered her time with Sweet Charity, HEAL’s upscale resale boutique that supports the Nest Domestic Violence Shelter.
Sharing what she has learned, Walker offered: “Violence doesn’t care if you are rich or poor, old or young, educated or not. I have learned that the community cares. They spend their time, their money and their knowledge trying to help these women realize that they are worth it. They deserve life. I have noticed that since I have begun my work with this organization, I can influence others by sharing my experience. I worked at the shelter and then at the thrift shop before going to Texas for my sister’s graduation. At my sister’s party, I told my family about what I was doing. When I returned to New Mexico, I brought six boxes of donations from my family! About four boxes were the belongings of my granny, who passed away about two years ago. My step-mother was not comfortable getting rid of the stuff before now. She did so because, she said, ‘This feels right and Granny would approve.’ So, through my community service, I was able to provide goods to be sold for the shelter’s upkeep and needs and help my step-mother’s healing process move forward.”
As for whether she would volunteer again, Walker shared that she has loved the experience not only for the good she has done for others, but also for the unique pleasure of being able to help others through performing a professional service not everybody can offer. She also stated that she is looking forward to another volunteer project: serving pizzas to the residents at The Nest.
Help End Abuse for Life and The Nest extend a very hearty thank you to Jody Walker for her excellent attitude, her deep and growing commitment to HEAL’s mission and the community, for her outstanding performance in her analysis of a major event crucial to HEAL’s success, and for her generosity in volunteering to perform the analysis annually for years to come. She has shown what happens when one is dedicated, as her degree program requests, to create a more profitable community.
Pictured is HEAL volunteer Jody Walker.
