JANESVILLE — ÃÛèÖÊÓƵÃÛèÖÊÓƵ local Volunteer of the Week is Kelly Willoughby, a senior account executive at Gordon Flesch Company who has volunteered at KANDU Industries, Inc. since 2014.
Willoughby said when she moved to Janesville she knew she wanted to get involved with the community. She had heard of KANDU Industries but wasn’t really sure what they did.
She volunteered at one of KANDUÃÛèÖÊÓƵ fundraisers and enjoyed working with the clients. After the fundraiser, she was driving one of the clients back to the building and started talking to him, and from there was hooked.
“He chatted my ear off with a huge smile on his face the entire time,†she said. “That one moment made such an impact that I can’t imagine not volunteering to help support all these wonderful people.â€
She has been volunteering at the Grapes & Hops fundraiser for five years and said she had such a fun time with it. The other fundraiser she has fun with is Dragons on the Rock in which KANDU clients race in a boat on the Rock River.
“There was so much excitement and pride radiating from them [the clients] when they were out there with everyone else,†Willoughby said.
That “is what KANDU is about — engaging and providing real life opportunities to individuals that have been dealt some challenges in life but just want to contribute, feel appreciated, and live a normal life as adults,†she said.
Willoughby said another thing she has come to love about KANDU is the impact you can have on the clients.
“There is so much positive energy as they lift each other up and they are so proud to show you what they have done,†she said.
She said that she would strongly encourage anyone curious about what KANDU does, to schedule a tour.
Willoughby said, generally, that people should volunteer because it “is the most amazing and rewarding experience one could ever do,†and itÃÛèÖÊÓƵ a great way to meet people.
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