Thanking and Awarding Volunteers

The Shorecrest Community Association hosted a celebratory breakfast at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club to thank Shorecrest volunteers for all they did to make the 2017-2018 school year so special.

Each year at the volunteer breakfast a new SCA Board is instituted. Many thanks go to the 2017-2018 SCA Board for all of their time and hard work: President Lindsey Lamb, Vice-President Tara Gaffney, Treasurers Karen Peterson and Rebecca Reeder, Secretary Meredith Granese and Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Nevins. The incoming SCA Board for the 2018-2019 school year will be President Tara Gaffney, Vice President Lisa Hahn, Co-Treasurers Rebecca Reeder and Jaren Wright, Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Nevins and Secretary Jennifer Casanta.

At the breakfast, author Laurie Hill spoke about the power of volunteering. She introduced the concept of volunesia -  a moment when you forget that you’re volunteering to help change lives, because it’s changing yours. The interactive discussion reminded all volunteers that they have superpowers they can give to the school, and that each person can each find the right way to use their strengths to benefit the Shorecrest Community.

In addition, the volunteer breakfast is when the recipient of the Janet Root Volunteer Service Award is announced each year. Last years’ winners, Christi DeGeare and Beth Vivio, were thrilled to be back to present the award to the 2018 recipient. Here’s how they introduced this year’s deserving awardee:

“Many of you knew Janet Root and her legacy but I will give a brief background of this amazing woman.  This award was established in 1984 as a commemoration of Janet’s lengthy and countless volunteer efforts and as a means of recognizing other outstanding Shorecrest volunteers. Janet’s volunteer journey began in 1978 when she developed the Shorecrest Cultural Enrichment program, which she chaired for almost 40 years. She then developed the Picture Lady/Gentleman program and started the music/parent program in 1983. Janet was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1981 and was named a Life Trustee in 2013, making her the second person in the schools history to hold this distinction. At the 2016 Commencement ceremony, she was Shorecrest’s first honorary alumna and received a diploma, a well-deserved honor for someone who had given so much to the school. Sadly, Janet passed away in June 2016.

So here we are today to continue Janet’s legacy by honoring an individual who has shown an outstanding volunteer commitment to Shorecrest.

The selection committee for this award is comprised of former award winners and the current SCA President and President-elect. When considering the nominees, we looked at the following criteria:

• Length of service to the Shorecrest Community.

• Service in a variety of areas from SCA, Booster Club, Fine Arts, Library, Grade-level reps and other Shorecrest events.

• Positions held as a committee chairperson and committees served

• Positive moral character.

This year’s recipient has been a volunteer at Shorecrest for 15 years - starting as a parent-reader and library classroom volunteer to decorating teacher’s doors for Teacher Appreciation Day and chaperoning field trips.

She has been the chair of Grandparents Day for the past seven years and co-chaired the Big Event for two years. She chaired Picture Lady for five years and has given countless hours to Holiday Gift Drive, Fall Festival and Shorecrest Cares.

She is the current Booster Club President, and for the past three years she revolutionized Spirit Wear with creating new designs and taking sales online, not to mention setting up at just about every event to make sales for the Booster Club. She has been Tennis Team Mom for the past seven years and has served on the Athletic Committee and the Athletic Director Search Committee. She has also volunteered at and participated in the Alumni Golf & Tennis Tournament.

She has served as a host and guest artist for Celebrate the Arts. She has been a grade-level rep from Lower to Upper School, and as a senior class liaison helped coordinate the senior retreat and the Baccalaureate Dinner.

Several nominations mentioned that this recipient steps up when no one else will. She always says yes, and when she asks you to volunteer you can’t help but say yes too. One person wrote, ‘I can’t think of a place she hasn’t volunteered. Not for the fame. Not for the praise. Not for the recognition. For our kids.’

We are honored to present this year’s Janet Root Volunteer Service Award to Corrie Stover.”

Corrie, who attended Shorecrest herself, is mother of senior Jack Ledford and eighth grader Baylie, and is married to Charger alumnus, Bill Stover ‘90. Her parents and Bill were there to applaud her achievements.

Thank you Corrie for all of the work you have done and continue to do at Shorecrest, with a smile. You are truly the model of an outstanding volunteer!