By Bridget Cooke [Audio clip: view full post to listen] In an effort to bring more volunteerism to the Eau Claire and surrounding communities, a new organization called the Chippewa Valley Time Bank is offering an alternative way for members of the community to support one another. The Chippewa Valley Time Bank is a new [...]

Click to listen to an audio story about the impact of college volunteers. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] By Brittni Straseske The walls at The Community Table are splattered with pictures of food. One is titled “Citrus” and features illustrations of oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. Another pictures “Exotic Fruit” and shows pineapples, bananas, [...]

by Allie Lawler With a huge wave, Barbara Arnold rushes across the footbridge at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. “We’re going to have to walk fast; I’m in a hurry!” she says. Arnold, a long-time resident of Eau Claire, is always in a hurry. Arnold works in the Registrar’s office at the university and is [...]

Being alert, conscious and caring is important to Samantha Lepinski. Whether it means remembering someone’s order, taking time to get to know someone at Northwoods Brew Pub where she works, or being aware of changes that could take place in her community, Lepinski is always looking for ways to make a difference. “Hey I’m Sam [...]

By Claire Sarafin Editor’s Note: This piece is part of a two-part package looking at empowerment opportunities for girls in the Chippewa Valley. Every Tuesday Britta Hetzel returns to her middle school alma mater, DeLong Middle School, to work on homework or explore the hallways of her past. Her arrival is eagerly anticipated by Jada [...]

By Koreen Greenhow Joe Lustek is a coordinator for volunteers at the American Cancer Society in Altoona.  Lustek’s goals and inspirations for his career are simple. “I’m very passionate about our volunteers,” Lustek said.  “They are the ones who keep me motivated because their stories they share are so emotional and inspiring.” Lustek graduated with a [...]

Standing on a patch of concrete in the George Washington Carver housing projects in Selma, Ala., civil rights foot soldier Joanne Bland held a pebble in her palm. The pebble, a crumbling piece of the historic ground she stood on, signified the meeting place of nearly 600 men, women, and children before they began their [...]

By Scott Morfitt [Audio clip: view full post to listen] On this week’s inaugural edition of the Inside Eau Claire Podcast, host Scott Morfitt interviews Rachel Keniston of non-profit The Community Table.  The interview covers the mission of The Community Table, the ways they use their funds, as well as a fundraiser for the organization [...]

Habitat for Humanity, along with local and state housing authorities, aims to provide adequate and affordable shelter for low-income families in a struggling economy lacking housing options.

A Nebraska native, Ashley McCarthy, works as the local volunteer coordinator at Feed My People Food Bank. She is passionate about her work and is striving to one day run her own non-profit.