Ndaba Mandela, a 35-year-old grandson of legendary South African leader Nelson Mandela, came to the Library this fall to discuss his new book about his grandfather’s lessons.
Queens Library Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels was excited to bring Mandela to Central Library for our author talk. Mandela and McDaniels both work internationally with the Universal Hip Hop Museum, and Ralph wanted Ndaba to also see the borough of Queens and learn more about its contribution to hip-hop culture.
Going to the Mountain is named after the ritual of becoming a man that Ndaba experienced at age 21. The rite of passage, which most experience between the ages of 18-21, involves going to a secluded location for 4-6 weeks to be circumcised. The experience is one of deprivation, as it is recommended not to drink any water during the first week to avoid additional pain. Ndaba described the experience as one of claiming your lineage and coming to understand what you represent, as physical pain shifts to spiritual and emotional pain. You emerge from the monthlong experience, considered a man. The audience asked Ndaba, a father of two young children, whether he would have his son undergo the circumcision ritual, to which he replied that his son doesn’t have a choice—he will definitely experience going to the mountain.
President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott interviewed Ndaba before turning the microphone over to the enthusiastic audience for questions. Ndaba shared that he was impressed by his grandfather’s compassion, noting that it came from Nelson’s belief that we all have the potential to achieve greatness. He remembered that celebrities such as Michael Jackson visited Nelson and he treated them the same way he treated the cook, driver, or gardener. The first time he met Nelson, he was eight years old and the elder Mandela was imprisoned in a house with a swimming pool. Ndaba decided then he wanted to go to jail when he grew up. Later, discovering what most jails were really like, this aspiration evaporated.
His grandfather was hard on him, to teach him responsibility. The second time Ndaba lost his school sweater, at age eleven, Nelson told him to sleep outside. While he didn’t follow through on this threat, he cautioned Ndaba that if he lost a third sweater, he would indeed have to sleep outside—and Ndaba never lost the sweater again.
Ndaba spoke of the importance of mentorship and encouraged the audience to sit with a young person one hour per week, to ask them about their struggles and hopes. “Dream so big your dream scares you,” Ndaba urged young people, referring to his grandfather, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Harriet Tubman as people who began their journeys with a dream. “The more you fail, the more you learn. Overnight success takes ten years.” Failure, he explained, is part of success. He also cautioned that there is no cutting corners and it takes getting your hands dirty to achieve your goals.
Ndaba, calling Nelson the “greatest example of leadership in the 21st century,” discussed the need to continue his Mandela legacy, calling it more of a blessing than a curse, one that opens doors for him but also comes with high expectations. Joking, Ndaba explained how because his grandfather’s face is on South African money, some people think his family gets some of that money. He recalled the pain his father experienced as a child of having to leave the country and change his name due to the police pursuing Nelson Mandela.
Ndaba said “going to the mountain” has a second meaning—referring to young black people trying to be successful who have to climb many mountains. Nelson Mandela famously said, “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
“We don’t understand our own power,” Ndaba said, discussing the NFL and the controversy over players’ kneeling protests. He speculated that if every player participated, society would have to take note. He asked where the support for Colin Kaepernick was, suggesting that some players are more concerned about their future or finances than about standing up for what is right.
Asked by a student from the broadcast journalism program at Cambria Heights about how he would achieve racial reunification, Ndaba praised this as a beautiful goal but expressed that his focus is first on African unity—and that he sees his first and foremost responsibility to Africa.
While his grandfather broke physical chains, he wants to break mental chains that Africans suffer from. He expressed that, under apartheid, the enemy was clear to see—a judge or a police officer—while now the enemy lies within, “in our mind.”
One of his goals is to break the cycle of poverty through his foundation Africa Rising, which works to empower youth and to celebrate African culture. At the time of his library visit, they had just completed a three-month coding project for sixty kids in his village. Many of the students who graduate from high school there never touch a computer, Ndaba explained.
When asked about the election of Donald Trump in the United States, Ndaba suggested Nelson would be disappointed, encouraging people to get more involved in civic society and to make sure to vote for all of the offices of government, such as mayor and council members, not just the president.
This year, while celebrating 100 years of Nelson Mandela, Ndaba wants to present him as a grandfather rather than as a president, so that he is more relatable to young people, who may have their own memories of being told a story by a grandparent.
Watch the Video of our author talk with Ndaba Mandela.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2018
New Energy Efficient Building to be Twice the Size of Current Library
FAR ROCKAWAY, NY - The Far Rockaway Library, located at 1637 Central Avenue, will close next week in preparation for the construction of a new $33 million building. Over the next three years, the current library will be demolished and replaced with a state-of-the-art, two-story structure, which will double the size of the existing library to meet the information and learning needs of the growing neighborhood.
The last day of service at the current building has been scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28. The library will then operate out of a temporary location, which will open on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 1 pm at 1003 Beach 20th Street, adjacent to the Far Rockaway Teen Center, located at 2002 Cornaga Avenue.
Mobile library service will be provided on Monday, Oct. 15 and Monday, Oct. 22, from 10 am to 5 pm, in front of the temporary space and Teen Center.
The new building, which will feature a glass curtain wall, pyramidal entrance, central atrium and blue roof, designed to detain water, will serve as a cornerstone of Downtown Far Rockaway, which is currently undergoing a revitalization that includes major new developments aiming to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for the community.
Expected to be completed in 2021, the new library will include designated children’s and teen spaces, an elevator, an ADA-compliant entrance and restrooms, a large meeting room, additional computer stations, a quiet room and self check-in/out equipment.
The new LEED-certified building, which will have minimal environmental impact and rely significantly on natural light, was designed by the renowned Oslo-based architectural firm Snøhetta, which has designed numerous other high-profile projects, including the Alexandria Library in Egypt and the National September 11 Memorial Museum & Pavilion at the World Trade Center site.
The existing 9,000-square-foot library, consisting of a single-story brick building, was completed in 1968.
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(Astoria, NY) _ Queens Library President Dennis M. Walcott and NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Lorraine Grillo joined Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, Council Member Costa Constantinides, State Senator Jose Peralta and Assembly Member Aravella Simotas today to break ground on a $3.9 million renovation of the Steinway Library.
The project, which is being managed by DDC for Queens Library, will add an elevator and new entrance ramp for full accessibility, revamp the building’s second floor and cellar and address external issues to ensure the building’s long-term structural integrity. The project will begin this month and be completed in summer 2019, with a full reopening of the library expected in fall 2019.
“With these renovations, Queens Library’s Steinway branch will be more technologically efficient, eco-friendly and accessible to everyone,” said Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “Our patrons deserve no less, and we are grateful to Mayor de Blasio, Assemblywoman Simotas, Borough President Katz and Council Member Constantinides for securing the funds that will help Queens Library transform lives and create inviting spaces where people can learn, discover and grow.”
“Our growing communities deserve best-in-class civic and educational institutions,” said Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen. “By funding accessibility and structural improvements to Steinway Community Library, we’re making an investment in Astoria’s future.”
“A strong public library system indicates that a community values learning and future opportunities for its young people,” said DDC Commissioner Lorraine Grillo. “This project will ensure that Steinway Library remains an enduring resource for Astoria, one that’s accessible to everyone as a center of culture and education. The Queens Library under President Dennis Walcott is investing heavily in its future and DDC is proud to be part of that effort.”
“Queens Library is one of our borough’s most treasured institutions, and this $3.9 million renovation will enhance Steinway Library’s long-term structural stability and accessibility to people of all abilities,” said Borough President Melinda Katz. “Astoria is an ever-growing community of families, who will now be able to enjoy a fully accessible, state-of-the-art community library as a center of learning, literacy and culture for residents of all ages.”
“Steinway Library is finally getting the investment it deserves to become an ADA-compliant, technologically advanced and energy efficient facility for our ever-growing community,” said Council Member Costa Constantinides. “I take great pride in helping fund renovations to this library, where multiple generations come to share that common mission to never stop learning. Thanks to the Mayor’s Office, Borough President Katz and Queens Library for your partnership in giving the Steinway Library new life.”
“Our libraries serve as a vital lifeline for so many Queens residents, especially for our immigrant neighbors. I am pleased to join so many leaders in announcing these needed improvements,” said State Senator Michael Gianaris.
“Residents in our community love this branch of the library and the renovations will make it even more appealing,” said Assembly Member Aravella Simotas. “Many thanks to the Queens Borough President for supporting this modernization and kudos to Councilmember Constantinides for funding the installation of an elevator, so that everyone has access and the ability to enjoy all that the library has to offer. As an Astoria native who grew up visiting the Steinway branch, and as a mother who regularly brings my own daughter to this neighborhood institution, I am thrilled with these upgrades.”
The Steinway Library was designed by architect Adolph Goldberg and finished construction in 1955. Located at 21-43 31st Street in Astoria, the 12,500-square-foot building includes a cellar and two above-grade levels on a 7,600-square-foot lot with a landscaped rear garden. The building was designed in a mid-century modern style with flat roofs, roman brick in stacked and running bond patterns, horizontal bands of windows and limestone and aluminum trim elements.
During construction, a new passenger elevator will be installed to serve all three levels of the building, from the cellar to the second floor. A new ADA-accessible ramp will be added at the library’s main entrance on 31st Street, along with a new book sorting area. The second floor will be renovated and new offices will be created in the cellar for staff.
The new external elevator tower will be constructed in the building’s rear courtyard with steel tube framing with an aluminum-framed curtain wall enclosure. The enclosure is made up of translucent glass panels to provide diffused light and views into the courtyard.
On the outside of the building a new roof will be installed, masonry will be upgraded and the water tightness of the building will be addressed to eliminate leaks to the interior. To increase efficiency, energy-efficient insulated glazing will be used at the new entrance and the roof will receive new insulation.
The branch will be closed for approximately one week beginning Monday, August 13 for preliminary work related to the project. The building is expected to close again this fall until the work is completed in fall of 2019. Mobile library service will be provided in the interim.
The Steinway Library renovation was designed by Huff + Gooden Architects under DDC’s Design and Construction Excellence 2.0 program, which pre-selects and pre-qualifies design firms that DDC works with on projects with construction budgets of up to $50 million. The program is designed to decrease the amount of time required for DDC to procure design services, while ensuring the highest levels of quality and professionalism in construction projects managed by the agency. The contractor is a local firm, XBR, Inc. headquartered on 19th Avenue in Astoria.
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About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $14 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.
About Queens Library
Founded in 1896, Queens Library is an independent, nonprofit corporation that serves a population of 2.3 million in the most ethnically diverse county in the United States. With 65 locations, Queens Library is one of the highest circulating library systems in the nation and among the busiest in the world. Visit online at: http://www.queenslibrary.org.
Here's another one of our talented contestants for the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands!
Foreign Trees is a four-piece alternative rock band based in Harlem, comprised of Grayson McCarthy (vocals/guitar), Victor Picini (guitar), Mike Tirado (drums/vocals), and Zoltan (bass/vocals).
Zoltan is a bass player raised in Hell's Kitchen who’s a guitar and bass instructor. Michael’s musical story began when his parents bought him the Rock Band video game! Grayson studies audio engineering and music production at City College of New York. Victor‘s interest in music began with the TV show Drake & Josh, where he was inspired by Drake Bell’s character.
The band combines each member’s unique approach to create an energetic, soulful sound. The quartet produces pop rock jams influenced by The Killers, Green Day, Counting Crows, and The Black Keys, and their performances have included The Bitter End and Shrine World Music Venue.
Check out Foreign Trees’s first single, “Honestly,” and learn more about them on Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
Join Foreign Trees and the rest of our contenders on Saturday, June 30 at Queens College’s Kupferberg Center for the Arts for a great afternoon of music!
Meet our next talented contestants for the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands!
Attitude—brothers John and Alex Campos, Christian Marino, Anthony Bonavita, and sisters Mikaela and Angelina Tatsis—formed in 2016, performing at a fundraiser benefitting the Ronald McDonald House. Attitude’s members are childhood friends who also know each other from music school.
John and Alex (guitar and bass guitar) began playing classical piano at age five and have performed on stage at Revolution, The Knitting Factory, and Carnegie Hall. Christian has played drums for four years and attends the Roslyn School of Rock. He cites Dave Grohl and John Bonham as influences. Angelina and Mikaela (vocals) have been performing, singing, and songwriting since they could speak, and play piano and guitar. Both study at NYC’s top performing arts high schools. Anthony (guitar) has been playing for three years and is a huge fan of Van Halen!
You can get a sneak peek of Attitude via this video clip, and join us on Saturday, June 30 to see them and all our contenders in action at Queens College’s Kupferberg Center for the Arts!
Meet the first of our talented contestants for the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands!
E3 are a band from Jackson Heights, Queens. The band’s founders are Renaissance Charter School students Ezra (drums and vocals) and Elliot (pianist and vocals), who have teamed up with guitarist Emma, bassist Andrew, and lead singer Eliana.
Elliot has previously earned a part in the Broadway show School of Rock, Ezra is a car fanatic, Emma operates a smoothie stand during the summer on Fire Island, Eliana is an actress, and Andrew regularly competes as a kickboxer!
The band works to improve their chops with Robert Smith, a Queens grammar school music teacher. While they love jamming to classic rock, the band has recently begun writing their own tunes. They have performed on the main stage of the John Lennon Educational Bus Tour Block Party hosted by Bootsy Collins and as a showcase band for the program Little Kids Rock. Their name, E3, comes from the first letter of the names of the first three band members.
Check out their jamming skills on their YouTube channel, and join us on Saturday, June 30 to see if they can top the competition at Queens College’s Kupferberg Center for the Arts!
Photo by Greg Kessler.
He did such a wonderful job last year, we’re excited to welcome back the one and only Torae as host and MC for the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands!
Born and raised in Coney Island, Brooklyn, Torae’s career has spanned several parts of the hip hop industry: he’s been a rapper, radio personality, and actor—you name it, he’s done it.
He’s collaborated with hip hop greats Talib Kweli and Wale, and has also put in studio time with Mack Wilds, Pharoahe Monch, Skyzoo, Sean Price, and Little Brother. You’ll also see Torae on the red carpet, where he’s covered the BET Awards and Hip Hop Awards.
Torae brought his positive energy to hosting last year's competition, and made our audience as much a part of the show as our contestants. He's glad to be back, and he can't wait to see this year's talent!
Get Your Free Tickets Now, and join Torae and our talented artists on June 30!
Officials: “Without operating increase libraries face tough choices ahead”
Call for Critical Investments in FY19— A $16 Million Increase in Expense Funding; Allocate $60 Million in Capital Funding
Video “Libraries Are For Everyone” shown before the hearing
New York, NY – DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido, library presidents, library workers, advocates and elected officials gathered at City Hall on Friday to urge the Mayor and City Council to invest in city libraries. Without an increase, libraries will be unable to sustain current levels of service. Tough choices will have to be made around collections, hours and maintenance upgrades.
Libraries are facing increased operating costs and an ongoing maintenance crisis that requires new funding to continue the programs and services New Yorkers depend on. The campaign is calling for an additional $16 million in expense funding to more adequately fund six-day service and programs and $60 million in capital funding for urgent facility maintenance.
Immediately following the press conference, the campaign testified at the City Council budget hearing and delivered 50,000 letters to City Hall from New Yorkers across all five boroughs.
Please view the brief video “Libraries Are For Everyone,” shown before the hearing.
“Our public libraries are the jewels of our neighborhoods. They receive more than 40 million visits each year and need to be properly funded to serve our communities, and to do so six days a week. In addition, too many libraries are in disrepair, and need maintenance work urgently. We call on the Mayor and City Council to do the right thing and add $16 million to their operating budgets and $60 million in capital funding,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido.
“New Yorkers need their public libraries more than ever, something that our partners in government have seen and supported over the last few years. While we and our patrons are so grateful for the city's recent investment in libraries, the fact is that rising costs will make it difficult for us to maintain our current levels of service. Without increased funding this coming fiscal year, tough choices will need to be made, and our communities will feel the impact. We do hope the city's leaders will consider this request, allowing us to maintain longer hours, expanded education programs, robust collections, and more,” said Anthony W. Marx, President of The New York Public Library.
“The doors of Brooklyn Public Library are open to everyone,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library. “Our services and programs engage families, job seekers, older adults, veterans, homeless, immigrants, teens, and entrepreneurs, strengthening the very fabric of our communities. Without an increase in operating dollars this year, we will be faced with extremely difficult choices.”
“Public libraries are the lynchpins of an open and democratic society, and provide opportunities for growth and empowerment to all at no cost,” said Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott. “We recognize there will always be difficult budgetary decisions to make, as there is a finite number of dollars to allocate. However, we are courting an impending crisis. While we will continue to operate at maximum efficiency, the reality is that rising costs and rising demands will eventually push us to the point where hard decisions will have to be made that will noticeably affect the public.”
“Before serving as a Council Member, I proudly worked for the Queens Library for over 11 years, so I’ve seen first-hand how important our libraries are to the people of our city,” said Council Member and Chair of Libraries and Cultural Affairs Jimmy Van Bramer. “Libraries are truly our most democratic institutions and represent a place where all can come to find a sense of community, feel welcome and valued for who they are, and empowered to improve themselves and their neighborhoods. Last year, we secured an increase of $110 million in capital funding, but we need more. I’m proud of the work we’ve done together, and I stand with our libraries today in calling for $16 million in expense funding to adequately fund six-day service and $60 million in capital funding to repair and improve facilities. Maintaining and increasing essential services for all New Yorkers is imperative.”
“The reality is that the proposed funding level in the executive budget is inadequate. Without an increase in city funding this year our libraries won’t be able to maintain the standard of service we've provided this past year. New Yorkers deserve more--funding for services has remained stagnant for the past 3 years,” said Ricci Yuhico, Urban Libraries Unite Board Member and Advocacy Chair.
“Funding libraries is an investment in New York City’s success. Especially in immigrant, working communities like Sunset Park and Red Hook, Brooklyn, libraries function as irreplaceable community, cultural, and learning centers. I call for the Fiscal 2019 City budget to include more operating and capital funding so vital library services remain available to all New Yorkers,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca.
“Public libraries provide an invaluable service to the educational and cultural well-being of our communities”, said Council Member Antonio Reynoso. “Investing in increased operating and capital funding ensures that librarians can continue to prioritize the delivery of high quality and invaluable services to City-wide residents.”
“Libraries need more funding to provide services and resources to the communities they serve. Parents and school children rely on Brooklyn Public Library for books, computers and places to study. We must fund and support our public libraries,” said Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel.
“Our libraries tie our communities together at a time pressures at the local and national level threaten to pull us apart,” said Council Member Stephen Levin. “We need our libraries now more than ever. We can’t risk to underfund these vital neighborhood resources. I'm calling on the Mayor and my Council colleagues to maintain investment in our libraries, and in doing so, preserve our futures.”
New York’s public libraries are an essential resource for New Yorkers of all backgrounds, fostering education and civic engagement in a safe environment where everyone is treated with respect.
Across the city’s library branches on any given day, children and teens get afterschool tutoring, immigrants attend ESOL and citizenship classes, job seekers learn new skills at resume workshops, and more. In the last year alone, libraries have partnered with the City to distribute early literacy kits in eight different languages to thousands of families, expand video-visitation for those with incarcerated loved ones, launch STEM programs for teens, provide workforce development to patrons, and connect families facing immigration status uncertainty to free legal services and trusted information.
The City’s investments in public libraries over the past few years have paid off. Neighborhood branches expanded their services with more librarians and technology specialists, while many branches are now open longer so that working people can visit on weekends and in the evenings. Last year, there were nearly 37 million visits made to New York City libraries.
The role libraries play in bringing communities together and making the city stronger is more important than ever. The cost to maintain six-day service has risen substantially, and without additional funding to maintain it, it will be harder for libraries to stretch their resources to provide the vital programs for the city’s most vulnerable patrons and communities.
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Thank you to Toni Morrison for this message on behalf of our City's libraries!
My second job as a teenager was shelving books at the only library in Lorain, Ohio. Every shift started with a tall stack of returned books—fiction, history, drama, poetry, everything. It didn't pay much, but it was magical. Then I got fired.
The trouble was that instead of replacing the books on the shelves, I kept reading them. A title would catch my eye, I'd crack the book open for just a quick look, and pretty soon I'd forget the stack of returns. I didn't get far in my career as a librarian, but that experience opened my eyes and shaped my future.
That's what libraries do. Here in New York, libraries connect people to resources that are life-changing. Lifesaving. Citizenship classes, story times for kids, job searches, and so much more.
City Hall is deciding right now on the budget that will go to libraries in the next year. Your help is urgently needed to make sure it's clear just how many of us love and depend on our libraries.
Words have power. And specifically, your words have power. In the past, your letters have convinced City Hall to invest in libraries—the places where all of us can retreat into a world of learning and books.
Libraries are essential to communities, and no other place comes close. Every week within these walls, children attend story time, immigrants come to ESOL and citizenship classes, job seekers update their skills, and many more discover books that change their lives.
The library staff workers, who are far more dedicated than I was as a teenager, are huge repositories of knowledge. They are also the champions of their communities who make sure the library remains a safe and welcoming space for all who enter.
I wrote to our City leaders because without their funding and support, our libraries cannot afford to continue providing their many vital services and many of our older buildings cannot get the repairs they urgently need.
I can think of no better place for my tax dollars to go than investing in the libraries that make New York City an incredible place to live.
If you feel the same, don't wait. Act. Sign your name.
Thank you for all your support and for your active citizenship.
Sincerely,
Toni Morrison
Author
Photo of Toni Morrison © Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
It’s National Volunteer Week 2018, and we want to celebrate the important role of volunteers at Queens Library!
All this week, we will share stories of our volunteers on our blog. Thank you to them, and to every Queens Library volunteer, for their service!
This year, Queens Library decided to create the Go the Extra Mile (G.E.M.) Volunteer Award to celebrate our volunteers that go above and beyond in their service and embody the library’s mission “to transform lives by cultivating personal and intellectual growth and by building strong communities.”
Three of our volunteers received Fall 2017 G.E.M. Volunteer Awards and three have been recognized as Honorable Mentions.
Today, we’re introducing you to G.E.M. Volunteer Award winner Denise Hairston, an Adult Education ESOL Group Leader at Rochdale Village Community Library.
Denise is somewhat of an unlikely volunteer, but anyone that has been a part of her conversation groups would tell a different story.
After retiring in February 2017, she wasn’t looking to volunteer when she visited Central Library ine day. However, after speaking to members of the Volunteer Services department and asking a few questions, she was encouraged to begin volunteering as an ESOL conversation group leader at the Rochdale Adult Learning Center. Denise found that she enjoyed volunteering and making an impact so much, she began asking for additional opportunities.
In the following months, Denise began volunteering in a variety of roles—from working with the marketing department and assisting with ESOL class registration to running ESOL classes in multiple locations. “I enjoy what I do and extending myself,” she says.
In fact, volunteering as an ESOL group leader inspired Denise to become a certified We Are New York facilitator and to lead the We Are New York ESOL group at Rochdale. "The staff at Rochdale has been exceptional in making me feel welcome,” adds Denise.
"Denise has been a bright light at our Learning Center since she joined us last Spring," says Lori Rodriguez, Manager of the Rochdale Adult Learning Center, pictured with Denise as she received her G.E.M Volunteer Award. "She is an excellent role model for our adult students, as she’s always eager to learn new things and be challenged in new ways."
Congratulations, Denise, and thank you for going above and beyond as you discovered your love of volunteering!