“I’ve been with Gilda’s since I came back from college. You guys have seen me through career shifts, a wedding, and two babies,” shares Hallie Jahr, long-time Gilda’s Club volunteer, Development Committee member, Red Door Society member, and Legacy Circle member.
If you’ve attended Gilda’s special events, you’ve likely run into her. In fact, her first experience with Gilda’s Club was back in 2016. Her previous employer, Vitense, was a vendor at Red Doors Golf. And, on her very first day at Vitense, she was introduced to Gilda’s Club and our mission.
Making sure there is cancer support for kids
For Hallie, that mission hit home. She lost both of her grandparents to cancer, and she remembers being young during that time period and not understanding everything that was happening. “It was hard for me to process,” she recalls.
So Hallie wanted to get involved after “seeing that all of these resources in our area are available to kids…that is the biggest reason.”
Hallie began personally volunteering, and has been at Red Doors Golf almost every year since then. Because she started volunteering right after college, “I didn’t have the monetary impact, volunteering was my way to give,” Hallie recalls.
Eventually, she added on many more volunteer roles, including volunteering at Gilda’s Big Bash and Over the Edge (as well as fundraising for that event), hosting third party fundraisers, joining Gilda’s Development Committee, and joining Gilda’s Associate Board. And she has continued to build connections between her employers and Gilda’s Club, including through her current role at PinSocial.
Hallie shares, “There are so many volunteer opportunities. No matter what your schedule looks like, you can always make a difference.”
Together through many stages
Just as Gilda’s Club has been with Hallie through many stages of her life, Hallie has been with us through many stages- our 10th anniversary, the flood, the pandemic, and now our statewide expansion. Hallie shares, “There’s a lot that Gilda’s has been through, but you’ve always put the members first. And have shown resilience.”
The resilience that Hallie mentions has only been possible because of loyal supporters like her, who have seen this community through major challenges and successes.
Our community is strengthened by the generous people who choose to invest in Gilda’s Club, especially our Red Door Society members. Hallie joined the Red Door Society three years ago, sharing that it was her personal goal to deepen her involvement by making a financial impact. “I’m contributing to an organization I believe in. I’m proud that I’m able to contribute,” she grins.
In addition, Hallie wants to help ensure that Gilda’s Club Wisconsin is here for generations to come. That’s why she joined our Legacy Circle, a group of supporters who have included Gilda’s Club in their wills or other planned gifts.
Hallie explains, “I’m a person who likes to plan ahead. I have kids, but I still want to be able to contribute.” Hallie wants to make sure that we, “have these resources for the next generation.”
We’re so thankful to have Hallie as part of the Gilda’s community as we begin this next chapter: reaching even more people across Wisconsin who are touched by cancer. Supporters like Hallie are helping make that possible because they believe in a future where no one faces cancer alone.