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VOLUNTEER PROFILE: Judy Siegel
JUDY SIEGEL
Meet Judy - Not only is she a Volunteer extraordinaire but she also keeps SOUL RYEDERS legally in check!
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I first met SOUL RYEDERS in a professional capacity. They (it’s always a “they” in my mind because there are so many wonderful people who truly are SOUL RYEDERS) applied to become a client of Pro Bono Partnership, the nonprofit I work at which provides free, transactional legal services to nonprofits in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. I was lucky enough to have the SOUL RYEDERS file land on my desk. My first impression was, this group is amazing! I’m going to take them on as a client AND I’m going to figure out how I can volunteer with them.
One of the best things about SOUL RYEDERS is all the different and meaningful ways you can become involved. Some of the volunteering roles I enjoy are:
• Big Batch - Cooking is one of my favorite things, so volunteering for Big Batch and sharing my cooking skills provides me with such a sense of accomplishment. At one of the sessions, I was lucky enough to see a 5th grader, who was volunteering as part of a school project, form a bond with a grandmother who is a cancer survivor. It was a very special moment. I have also delivered Big Batch meals to the SOUL
RYEDERS clients and met some inspiring people who shared their personal stories with me leaving me in awe of their courage and spirit.
• TieTheTownPink - Tying pink ribbons, while not my strong suit, is a fun, fulfilling way to stay involved in the community and I have enjoyed adorning the town PINK! • Stitch & Sip - This project-driven program involves volunteers of all ages and skill sets who would like to participate and have some fun! I have made lavender sachets, written note cards for care packages and decorated drain pockets, which hopefully made the life of those recovering from mastectomies just a little bit easier.
• Mondays with SOUL RYEDERS - My very favorite thing, the volunteer activity that actually catapults me out of bed very, very early in the morning and makes my heart sing, is cooking for Mondays with SOUL RYEDERS (MWSR). I love the idea that by simply making sandwich platters, fruit plates and baskets and baskets of cookies, I can help the
SOUL RYEDERS clients undergoing cancer treatment and all the generous volunteers, have a really relaxing, pleasant experience and take home some of the leftovers to share with their families. It feels great to know that the care, support, and love we put into making the food goes home with them and makes their day-to-day life just a little bit easier. I also really like cooking for MWSR because it is a family activity; my husband and kids do it with me. Our boys happily get up at 5:00 a.m. to help my husband and me bake, slice, dice and assemble. Since the pandemic, the Mondays’ program has been put on hold but I am still able to bake goodies for the care packages given to the clients and caregivers.
Working with and for SOUL RYEDERS literally fills my heart with joy. I am so inspired by this organization’s unrelenting pursuit of more and better ways to improve the quality of life of those undergoing, and surviving cancer, as well as their caregivers. No matter how much, or how little, time you have, there is a way to volunteer with various projects and share your strengths. It’s a great way to make a difference, get involved in the community and feel part of something unwaveringly positive.
The individuals who run SOUL RYEDERS are also among the most dedicated, kind-hearted, concerned people I’ve met. It is an honor to help them. When I am doing something with SOUL RYEDERS it literally gives me faith in the human spirit and the goodness of people. I get to participate in their programs and to find such well-conceived, easy to execute ways to volunteer and make a meaningful difference in the lives of people who are struggling with life-changing situations. I also truly am honored that I get to represent SOUL RYEDERS as its attorney. SOUL RYEDERS epitomizes all that is right with the world – and these days, that is invaluable. I am blessed to know and be a part of this organization.
