In this season of altruism, we shine the spotlight on a handful of Woodbury neighbors who give their all to giving back—read about what volunteerism, and the community, means to them in their own words.
Jenny West
Caregiving and aging community educator at FamilyMeans // Organizes memory cafes for elders with memory loss and their caregivers
How did you get involved in your volunteer work?
Everyone has a life story; I appreciate the opportunity to hear those stories … A lot of my attention goes to helping family caregivers [at] FamilyMeans. We provide coaching and support to people who give their all in caring for someone else. I lead support groups or educational series, workshops at the library, and even memory cafes where people who are living with dementia can come with their partner to enjoy some social time in an understanding environment
What do you love about living in the Woodbury area?
I’ve noticed that residents are eager to learn how they can be helpful to people who are growing older, people who live with various disabilities, and the caregivers who support them every day.
What inspires you to give back?
We all want to live in a supportive, neighborly community. The gifts I share help others feel welcome, important, and capable of facing what’s ahead.
Tell us something else about you.
I love to run, so having the many parks and trail systems close to home is a favorite.
What advice do you have for people who want to volunteer?
Don’t be afraid to try something that piques your curiosity. Volunteering is such a good way to meet people and get connected in a new community … Everyone has something to contribute toward making this a good community to grow up and grow old in.
Matt Johnson
Founder at Anew Real Estate Group // Member of Woodbury Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce and Community Foundation
How did you get involved in your volunteer work?
It started in 2012 as a Woodbury Area Chamber ambassador; then I became a board member in 2014. I have served on the scholarship golf committee for seven years and have been the chair of it for three years. I joined the Woodbury Lions in the fall of 2014 and was inducted in January 2015 by the late Jack Lanners who was a business mentor of mine in the community … I took on the role of promoting and scheduling our KidSight vision screening program … where we have screened over 1,500 Woodbury children so far … I had the privilege of participating in the Woodbury Citizens Academy in 2013 and leaned a great deal about what it takes to make our community so wonderful. I joined the board of directors at the Woodbury Community Foundation in 2018 and have served on the Chef Fest committee for three years.
What do you love about living in Woodbury?
You are close to everything in Woodbury; there is so much to do.
What inspires you to give back?
I'd have to say my children: showing them what it means to be part of a community, serving others, and leaving things better then you found them.
Tell us something else about you.
When I'm not working or volunteering, I enjoy cycling the back roads of South Washington County, snowboarding at Afton with my children, or cruising down the St. Croix in our new boat.
What advice do you have for people who want to volunteer?
Woodbury is a great community and is not quite as affluent as people sometimes think. Organizations that focus on hunger like Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf or SoWashCo Cares need all the help they can get … It does not take much to make a big difference in the lives of our neighbors in this beautiful community.
Karen Bauman
Volunteer at Woodbury Senior Living and Woodbury Days
How did you get involved in your volunteer work?
I volunteer with Woodbury Senior Living by calling bingo at the villa. My niece used to work there and asked me to help. I signed up [to help with Woodbury Days] when I heard they were going to end if they did not have enough volunteers. I couldn't see this special event end.
What do you love about living in Woodbury?
It is a really healthy area to live, and it is so easy to go shopping, out to eat or find entertainment.
What inspires you to give back?
It helps me feel a part of my community, and it's really an easy way to network and learn new things.
Tell us something else about you.
When I am not volunteering, I love to garden in my yard, and enjoy sitting outside, getting to know my neighbors.
What advice do you have for people who want to volunteer?
There are plenty of opportunities in Woodbury—helping at the schools, spending time talking to the elderly, volunteering at the animal shelters, joining the Woodbury Days council. It is plain good for your soul.
Bill Schrankler
Longtime Woodbury teacher, principal and educator // Helps lead the Woodbury Heritage Society’s preservation efforts
How did you get involved in your volunteer work?
Upon moving to Woodbury in 2002, I was fascinated by the large number of beautiful barns surrounded by burgeoning housing developments. It occurred to me that the artifacts of Woodbury’s agriculture past were quickly disappearing. This motivated me to become a member of the Woodbury Heritage Society.
What do you love about living in Woodbury?
The attractiveness of the city; from all of the beautiful landscaping (both public and private) to the well-designed shopping centers.
What inspires you to give back?
Wanting to leave the wood pile “a little higher than when I came.”
Tell us something else about you.
I have served on various city and school committees, and authored a book about the surviving railroad depots in Minnesota.
What advice do you have for people who want to volunteer?
Seek organizations which are of interest and that offer you the opportunity to make Woodbury the best it can be.
