Volunteer Spotlight

We deeply value every IVC volunteer and encourage you to share what you're learning through your volunteer experience with us.

Andra Sawyer and Michael McGunnigle started volunteering with IVC in 2017 shortly after moving to Bainbridge Island from Seattle. Andra joined first, seeking a way to get to know her new community while giving her the sense of purpose she’d felt during her time with the Peace Corps and tutoring children at a women’s shelter in Seattle.

IVC’s flexible volunteer model appealed to Andra, who works part time at the Bainbridge Aquatic Center after retiring from a career in fiscal compliance with the University of Washington. She likes that volunteer shifts are low commitment/ high reward.

Michael, who works remotely in finance for a public health organization, followed Andra’s lead, appreciating the opportunity to make a difference in a short amount of time. He had volunteered for a food bank in Seattle and found IVC’s mission aligned with his values.

“The payoff is equally great for both the volunteer and the recipient. Thirty minutes goes a long way for both. It also gets me out of the house in the afternoons.” Michael went on to point out that IVC’s volunteer model works well for introverts. “I like meeting people one on one.”

Both Michael and Andra have developed connections with care receivers they help ongoing. Andra’s first IVC shift was with a woman she ended up spending two hours with every Sunday for three and a half years. Andra remained friends with the family following the woman’s passing. Although the loss was hard it didn’t deter her from continuing to volunteer because she knows the impact she had on the woman’s life.

Michael helps a couple of care receivers on a weekly basis and understands that something as simple as walking someone’s dog once a week can make them feel connected and cared for. Engaging with care receivers across the island breaks down assumptions about Bainbridge Island’s general population, granting a different perspective on island life.

When asked what they would share with prospective volunteers Andra said, “IVC makes it easy to volunteer. That’s not true everywhere.”

Michael’s parting thought was about life lessons he’s learning from care receivers. He pays attention to who’s happy and who’s struggling, and he’s found that individuals who are interested in reciprocal conversation and those who are open to asking for help are generally happier. 

Thank you to Andra and Michael and all of our IVC Volunteers!