|
Work Space: Helping others |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Erin Frustaci
|
|
Thursday, 18 January 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Heidi Muller | for NEXTnc
Adam Molzer sits at his desk at the United Way of Larimer County offices. Molzer, an active volunteer himself, can help you start volunteering, too.
|
Adam Molzer, like many people, had big plans as a business student in college. He was going to start his own business, make a lot of money and retire early.
“I quickly realized I wasn’t going to spend my life making money for other people,” he said. “I was going to spend my life helping people.”
He earned a degree in international business with a focus on nonprofits from Creighton University in Nebraska. Soon after he and his wife joined AmeriCorps for a year, which ultimately brought them to Colorado.
Molzer now works for United Way of Larimer County as a volunteer center specialist.
“I’m sort of the middle person between those in need and those who want to help,” he said. “Mobilizing the community to meet those needs is pretty rewarding.”
Molzer knew he could only help so many people on his own. However, if he could get others to volunteer, he could touch many more lives.
He works with nonprofit organizations to strengthen their volunteer programs and helps publicize their needs.
And that’s just his day job. In his free time, he is an active volunteer for several organizations.
He is a mentor for a 13-year-old boy with Partners Mentoring Youth program. He spends time with the boy, takes him to sporting events and acts as a positive role model.
“Disadvantaged youth is something I’m particularly passionate about,” Molzer said.
He also considers himself an environmentalist and has adopted a natural area. Once a month he takes his dog for a hike and cleans up litter.
“I go hiking anyway, I might as well help take care of the area,” he said.
On top of everything else, he serves on the board of directors for Steppin’ Out, an organization that celebrates the accomplishments of youth leaving foster care.
“There is a lot of great work being done that serves a variety of issues,” he said.
“Each individual has the potential to change lives; they really do. You might not be able to end homelessness or decrease crime across the country, but if you can affect another life in a positive way, then I find value in that.”
———
VITAL STATS
Name: Adam Molzer, 25, of Laporte
Company: United Way of Larimer County
Title: Volunteer Center Specialist
How long have you worked there? More than two years
———
IN HIS WORDS
What makes you get out of bed in the morning?
It is rewarding to know that the work I do each day has the potential to involve others in volunteering, and thus affect the lives of those in need, as well as those who are serving.
What impresses you?
Genuine people. The sorts of people who are honest, helpful and not superficial. I think it is harder and harder to be genuine in today’s business environment, but it is a characteristic that I admire and try to improve on.
What doesn’t?
Fast, flashy cars. Sure, they’re fun to look at, but I always have to laugh when someone goes tearing by me at twice the speed limit, only for me to pull up beside them at the next red light.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you do?
I would probably be making independent films in Nebraska. In 1999, I co-founded a film production company in Omaha, but had to step away from it when I moved to Colorado.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done while at work?
Last fall, I accidentally tripled the cooking time on a bag of microwave popcorn and walked away, causing that crisp-kernel odor to linger in the office for days.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever done to make money?
I used to manufacture “Mole-No-More” and “Rabbit-No-More”; all-natural pest repellent fertilizers my grandfather invented.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
Hike, camp, disc-golf, garden and work on projects around my house.
Pets? Family?
Married for 2+ years to my wife, Laura, who is a graduate student at CSU. We have one cat, Mr. Whiskers, a golden retriever named Buddy, and a fish named Flash.
Favorite TV shows?
“The Office,” “Colbert Report” and SNL are my television picks.
Movies?
“Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” tops my movie list.
Books?
“Of Mice and Men”
What Web sites do you have bookmarked?
Nothing exciting, mostly volunteerism and work-related Web sites.
Where do you play?
We live near the Poudre Canyon, but have found that it gets crowded with tourists and day-trippers. So, we like to travel up to south-central Wyoming where the outdoors are just as beautiful, only less visited. The Saratoga and Medicine Bow areas make for great weekend get-away.
Go out to eat?
Inca Mexican Restaurant and Beau Jo’s Pizza
Favorite spot?
Locally, the Bingham Hill overlook of the Bellvue valley. I take all of our out-of-town visitors there and it is a nice picnic area.
What is it about this job that makes it challenging?
The challenge of this job is adjusting how we promote and foster volunteerism as the community, society and demographics change around us. For example, in just the past year we have completely had to re-examine how we work with volunteers during disasters, following Hurricane Katrina.
How do young/new employees get ahead?
Learn as much as you can about the social issues and nonprofit sector from those who are more experienced. Take on new responsibilities and seek solutions to existing community needs.
What’s the one thing you wish you could do on the job that you can’t right now?
Nothing comes to mind.
What do you do during your breaks?
Walk along the Poudre River Trail, which my office overlooks.
Did you ever think in a million years you’d work here?
I did, actually. I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to work in human services and the nonprofit sector. In college I even researched the United Way for a class assignment asking for my “Ideal Company to Work For” and I had a summer job with the United Way of the Midlands. It’s a thrill to be where I am at so early in my career.
What’s one thing about your job you would do, even if you weren’t paid to do it?
Continue to stay connected to the community and get to know the great organizations and people that serve it.
Name one thing in your life that really prepared you for your job.
Volunteering with diverse populations in a variety of domestic and international settings. I’ve had great fortune to travel to several regions of the country doing volunteer work and I spent four-months in the Dominican Republic doing service work, living with local families, and learning about the culture in a developing nation.
What’s the biggest payoff in your job?
Having the privilege to connect people to volunteer opportunities that meet real community and human needs.
Are you the boss? Do you think you should be?
Not quite. My job allows a lot of freedom to create my own agenda and take on new and interesting projects as they adhere to our mission. So while I still report to my supervisor, there is a great deal of autonomy in my job. | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
| |
