It is easy to get caught up in the holiday rush, but it can be a great time to slow down, reflect, and spend quality time with those you love. It is a time to focus on your community and giving back to those around you. Here is a brief look into how GreenStone’s team of executives are doing just that - slowing down and giving back to their communities this holiday season.
Melissa Stolicker, chief internal auditor, spends her holiday by slowing down to spend quality time with her family and friends. And watching a lot of football! Stolicker’s family has also been a big supporter of their local youth athletic program. “Whether it is coaching athletics, volunteering, or just supporting local fundraisers, we think youth athletics is great. It teaches a lot of things that us, as professionals, could always use,” Stolicker suggests. “It teaches the kids how to be a good team player, how to work hard, and it teaches them how to win and lose.”
Melissa Stolicker coaching girls' basketball.
Chief Human Resource Officer Beth Barker is not only ready to deck the halls this Christmas, but she is excited to be involved with the Holiday Food Drive another year! “I’ve been a supporter of our local food bank for the past 15 years, serving as an HR advisor to the Food Bank Council of Michigan for 4 years and supporting the Harvest Food Gathering each fall. I’m happy to go through my pantry during the Holiday Food Drive Challenge and give to the Greater Lansing Food Bank! I make sure my bag includes food, personal and household care products,” Beth says with a smile.
Beth Barker standing in front of her pantry getting ready to package up her donations!
Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Ian McGonigal and his family ran like Rudolph in the DeWitt Turkey Trot for the first time this year. “The Turkey Trot was a lot of fun!! Our family did the walk with friends who were visiting us from Chicago for Thanksgiving. We took the dogs along as well, and the event was very well attended. It was great to get out and interact with our local community and catch up with old friends. We are really looking forward to doing it again next year,” McGonigal says.
Now we look at how Steve Junglas, chief information and security officer, gives back to his community. “Every holiday season my family and I participate in the Gaylord Kiwanis Annual Holiday Food Drive to help the local community.” Junglas is excited to volunteer his time and his enclosed trailer again this year! His trailer will be used to store the 400-600 boxes of food before they are distributed to those in need.
Junglas standing behind the bins of food that were donated to this year's food drive.
Paul Anderson, chief credit officer, does not just help out his community throughout the holiday season but throughout the year as well. “My wife, Tammy, and I serve at the downtown Lansing City Rescue Mission. Through our church we have been able to help provide clothing and other resources to assist them.” Anderson says. The Lansing City Rescue Mission strives to meet the physical needs of food and shelter to those in the community.
Also, Travis Jones, chief executive officer, supports the Goodfellows community during the holiday. “My family has been supporting Goodfellows for over 20 years. We are proud to support an organization that helps a community try to ensure that no child goes without a gift for Christmas,” Jones says. The Goodfellows is an organization that distributes holiday gift boxes to kids 4 through 13. Each box includes warm clothing, undergarments, toys, books, games, dental kit, and much more to help make their Christmas’s a little brighter.
Kim Brunner, chief financial officer, adopts a family in the local community each holiday. “Our family supports a local organization in our town called Operation Help. The organization allows us to adopt a family every Christmas and help those that are less fortunate,” Brunner says. “My family and I make the list together and go shopping together to make it a family event!”
Kim Brunner and her family during Thanksgiving.
Lastly, Pete Lemmer, chief legal counsel, is excited about winding down from a year of volunteering. “My family gets involved with the refugee community in the Greater Lansing area and try to get them connected to agriculture in some unique ways,” Says Lemmer. “Several years ago, I was doing a basketball program as St. Vincent Catholic Charities at the request of a friend Fr. Jerry Vincke. St. Vincent took care of children that were orphans or part of the foster care system. While doing this basketball program I became aware that St. Vincent matriculates refugee families into the Lansing community from all over the world, and I started inviting the refugee youth to the basketball program. These engagements led to becoming more aware of the regions of the world where these refugees were from. As my family became more aware, we found ways to be engaged in some mission work projects in East Africa. There are many stories and volunteer experiences that have evolved from this!”
Pete Lemmer introducing the African stove to the visiting Africans.
Not only do these GreenStone executives lead the company with great success, but they lead by example, encouraging their staff members to go out into the community and help others. Learn more about our community outreach and engagement efforts by visiting our outreach page here.
