Michelle McLain-Kruse welcomed by RSVP as new volunteer coordinator
Michelle McLain-Kruse
by Paul Scott, RSVP volunteer
More than 600 people in Winneshiek, Allamakee and Howard Counties volunteer for non-profit groups in partnership with Northeast Iowa RSVP. That’s why the organization is happy to have added a new Volunteer Coordinator, Michelle McLain-Kruse.
“Our program continues to grow so it is wonderful to have Michelle join the team,” according to RSVP Director Deana Hageman. “Having her here to assist volunteers in finding opportunities that match their time availability, knowledge and skills is crucial to our program.”
The Decorah native is a 1987 graduate of North Winneshiek High School and a 1991 graduate of Luther College, with a degree in Business Management. McLain-Kruse led the Thunder Rode non-profit organization for 16 years, which resulted in her passion toward non-profit organizations. In August of this year she signed up with RSVP as a volunteer. In October she saw a notice that the agency was looking for a part-time Volunteer Coordinator. She began her new job in November.
McLain-Kruse praises “the positive work environment” of the RSVP office in Decorah, which is located in the lower level of the Decorah Public Library. “Everybody who’s here wants to be here and wants to serve our communities,” she says. She’s happy to work at RSVP because it allows her to assist people who are participating in the RSVP program.
The goal of the position is to be in contact with RSVP’s volunteers from the time they join the program to referring them to an opportunity and supporting them as they volunteer. McLain-Kruse will also respond to requests for volunteers from the 82 partner stations with RSVP.
“It’s all coming together,” she says, including her work with the database that tracks the more than 600 volunteers.
The work of the volunteers is worth $28.88/hour in Iowa, according to a survey by the Independent Sector, which says the average nationwide figure is $33.49/hour. For the first half of the fiscal year, Hageman notes volunteers have already logged over 21,000 hours, which has a value of over $600,000 of service.
McLain-Kruse can be reached at the RSVP office from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays and from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Fridays. She also has a few other times where she works on projects, and can meet by appointment.
For more information about the Northeast Iowa RSVP and opportunities to volunteer for non-profit organizations, contact McLain-Kruse at rsvp2@decorahlibrary.org or call 563-277-5180.
