Hider Reaches Out for Village Network Volunteers
WOOSTER — The former Miss Ohio, Sarah Hider, continues to find herself in the public spotlight. Her new outreach efforts involve The Village Network, for which she serves as a grant writer and public relations manager. Just recently she set up shop at Gathering Grounds in Wooster to showcase “new opportunities for volunteers (at TVN).”
“I wanted the community to be aware of them,” Hider said, in addition to using the meet and greet setting “as an outreach for TVN.” As she has met and talked with people in her own new role at TVN, she has recognized that many “are still unaware of the extent of what we do,” she said. One of the new opportunities promoted by Hider is membership on a fledgling women’s committee offering support for the organization.
The recent debut of TVN’s’s first statewide Women’s Advisory Board coincided with a new TVN program for which it will offer support. This fall, for the first time, female youth will begin to be served at TVN in Wooster as residents of Faulkner Cottage, located adjacent to the main campus on state Route 585.
Female leaders from across the community were invited by Danielle McCoy, a TVN regional development director, “to share in our endeavor to become strong advocates for at-risk girls in the state Ohio” as part of the board. The group’s goal is to “help provide brighter futures for girls who (have) been victims of abuse, neglect, sexual assault and depression.”
Another opportunity relates to TVN’s efforts to increase “brand awareness and social media awareness.” As social media ambassadors, volunteers can help TVN “raise awareness of (its) mission,” said a flier proclaiming the slogan, “If you build it — like it, pin it, share it, tweet it — they will come.”
Volunteers are being sought to become social media ambassadors, asked to “assist in brand recognition and digital marketing by posting, liking, commenting and sharing posts (about the organization),” according to information from TVN, which also gave as examples of volunteer support helping at special events, performing clerical duties, assisting with fundraising, collecting donations and mentoring youth served by TVN.
“Partnerships are a part of our mission,” said Tim Homan, TVN’s vice president of advancement, calling volunteers “a key partner.” Not only are volunteers critical to the mission of helping youth through mentorships and other endeavors, but they “also bring resources to The Village Network, as we are a non-profit,” Homan said. They’re also significant in an advocacy role, he said. “The more people we have advocating on behalf of youth, the more chance we have of raising awareness around issues (such as) child abuse and human trafficking,” as well as influencing policy at a federal level to protect children.
Certain protocol must be followed to become a volunteer, including authorizing a criminal records check and participating in an orientation and training session. Additional information is available by contacting Hider at 330-202-3876 or emailing her at shider@thevillagenetwork.com.
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Reporter Linda Hall can be reached at 330-264-1125, ext. 2230, or lhall@the-daily-record.com.