Betty Woon
with Carriage House

Betty Woon volunteers at Carriage House Homeless Community Center (Carriage House), a community center for the homeless. This may seem like a heavy task, but as she puts it, "It's almost a shame how much I enjoy this."

Carriage House provides daytime facilities for Boulder's homeless population including coffee and showers, employment assistance, and support for health issues and personal growth. There are so many barriers affecting the homeless like replacing lost identification or needing a permanent address to include on a job application. Carriage House serves its clients in a variety of ways to help them take the next step.

Woon heads the special events committee, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Although she is in Carriage House only a few hours a week, she is constantly on the look-out for new and unique opportunities for events, fund-raisers, and other nurturing activities for her clients.

Woon gave herself the challenge of doing something every day to benefit Carriage House, but she said, "I can't hold it to one thing. It always multiplies." Last Christmas, she organized volunteers to serve hot chocolate on the mall with Santa. In the summer, she gathered a group to spread the word about Carriage House at the Farmer's Market. Recently she has helped to organize an afternoon women's program for creativity and camaraderie. One of the group's interests is quilting.

However, her favorite project was the art show. After a series of afternoon art lessons last year, all 28 watercolors were sold at an exhibit at Zing Hair Studios. Woon said, "It's a privilege to volunteer, to give the clients a second chance." Her attitude says it all, "Things just happen to work out really well. Others help me be successful."

For information about volunteering with Carriage House or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.