Yes, you can serve your community and maintain a work-life balance!
Credit to Author: Employee Voices| Date: Fri, 31 May 2019 19:18:22 +0000
Written by guest blogger, Kara Greer
We stopped for a quick photo at the Special Kids Race!
I am the blessed mother of six children, and work full-time as a Global Project Manager. Like many working parents, it feels like I spend most of my time running around. From soccer practice to cross country practice to church youth group, it can get exhausting.
I’d like to weigh in on how I balance work, life, and volunteering.
Giving Back to My Community
Volunteering has always been an integral part of my life and who I am. I’ve been giving back to my community since high school. One of my first big events that I organized was a Red Cross blood drive at my high school, which was the largest high school in Missouri at the time. During my college years I was in Alpha Chi Omega sorority at Washington University, and was very involved in sponsoring the Special Olympics on campus.
Now that I am a working mother, I am grateful that the amazing company I work for, Schneider Electric makes it so very easy for me to continue giving back to my community! #SchneiderGivesBack
I teach an Expanding Your Horizons class at Middle Tennessee State University each Fall as part of the STEM program and Foundation.
The culture here at Schneider Electric is supportive of giving back to the community. Schneider encourages me to build homes for Habitat for Humanity, teach Junior Achievement classes, participate in countless Special Olympic and Special Kids Therapy events, raise money through the Dragon Boat races to clean up the Cumberland River in Nashville, and the list goes on and on.
One of our core values at Schneider is ‘to put customers first by going above and beyond’. The families of our customers live in our communities, so by giving back, we are fortifying this core value.
My Running Small Group at World Outreach Church – I have lead this small group for about 12 years.
Running for a Cause
As a member of the volunteer Board for Special Kids Therapy and Nursing Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee I get to see first-hand how charitable contributions benefit the community. Special Kids serves children who simply need a little extra help, children who are medically fragile, and all sorts of diagnoses in between.
My son poses with the ribbons he won at the Track and Field event – all participants get to take home ribbons!
In March of each year, we host a 5k/10k/15k race that is our largest annual fund raiser. I am blessed to be one of the Course Directors for this race. 2019 has been our biggest race so far with great community participation! As a Board Member, the Schneider Electric NAM Foundation contributes a check each year to help with our budget to pay for therapy needs of special needs kids. There are dozens of Schneider Electric employees that work in the Nashville area that participate in this race.
The Special Kids Race
The Special Kids Race is so very rewarding. I cannot think of a better way to spend my Saturday! Many therapy recipients come to cheer for the runners and wow, it is amazing to see how much the kids love seeing the community support them and to see how excited the community is about this event. It really makes all my time spent coordinating the race worth it.
My son placed 3rd in his age group at the Special Kids Race!
Watching the participants run for those that are not able to even walk without assistance is a very rewarding experience. I am reminded that it’s really not about seeing if I can run a race, but it’s about helping others run their race in their way – by using a wheel chair, using a rolling walker, or by getting a new running personal record.
My youngest son, Morgan, and I ran in the 3.21 Race which celebrates National Down Syndrome Day (always held on 3/21 for Trisomy 21)
Balancing Work, Community Service, and my Family
The well-being initiatives Schneider Electric supports go beyond just SE employees, but also touches employee’s children as well as many others in the communities where we work. My own children learn how important it is to give back, and they understand that the company I work for supports me 100%. As a matter of fact, two of my children that are currently Engineering Interns for SE at the Nashville HUB also came out and helped set up the Race this year.
Even with a demanding work schedule, pressure to meet deadlines, and family commitments I feel empowered to set aside the time to give back through volunteering. I am blessed to be able to help others live better lives and to help them feel connected to folks in similar situations.
Schneider Electric is committed to supporting our community and making it a better place to live. I strongly believe in giving back and volunteering through all of the many opportunities Schneider allows.
My youngest son and I at the Area 16 Special Olympic Track and Field event– we were chosen to be the Torch Bearer’s to start the games at Middle Tennessee State University (largest games in the State!)
About the Author:
I am the blessed mother of six children and have lived in the Nashville area for half of my life! I have an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, as well as an MBA and a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security. I have worked for Schneider Electric for the past ten years and look forward to many more years of working here and volunteering in my community.
Schneider Electric encourages volunteerism among its employees by underwriting the costs of charitable work, donating money to organizations her employees are involved with, and providing paid time off to volunteer. If you’re looking for a company with great benefits and great people, apply today!
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