Get to Know the Youth Board Members: Sophia Delcid
Back in 2018, Mr. Bob’s Under the Bridge created a new program within the organization with the induction of Youth Board Members. This program was designed to allow the passionate youth volunteer members to participate in the direction of the organization while taking on additional responsibilities to help develop their leadership and organizational skills. The Youth Board Members became not only active members of the Mr. Bob’s board, but also active volunteers who are responsible for weekly maintenance of the supplies on the truck and trailer, as well as encouraging friends and schoolmates to volunteer with the organization. The current Youth Board Members are made up of a combination of juniors and seniors from local high schools including Cedarburg High School and Marquette High School. Each year, the graduating seniors are responsible for nominating new candidates to fill the junior Youth Board Member role, so that the program continues to live on.
Each Youth Board Member has brought their unique enthusiasm and flair to the role, and Mr. Bob’s benefits from their creativity and passion each day. To celebrate these incredible young leaders, we will be highlighting each of them with a blog post spotlight. Up first is Sophia Delcid, a junior at Cedarburg High School!
Sophia began volunteering with Mr. Bob’s in October of 2022, and became a Youth Board Member in June of 2023. She enjoys spending time with loved ones, working, studying, and sailing out on Lake Michigan. Since June she has been working for Lasata Senior Living Center in Cedarburg, WI as a dietary aide. Through her work, she has been able to interact with the residents while also learning the value of hard work. When she is not volunteering or working, she spends a lot of her free time in the summers sailing on Lake Michigan. She has been an avid sailor since she was just eight years old and is currently on the racing team for the South Shore Yacht Club.
Read on to learn more about Sophia:
How did you first get involved with Mr. Bob’s?
I thank Connor Kraus, a former youth board member and now official board member, for introducing me to Bob’s Under the Bridge, and helping me find such an amazing organization to devote time to. At first, Bob’s started out as a fun way to get my volunteer hours, but after my first few times going, I realized it’s so much more than volunteering. It’s obvious to anyone that each and every single regular volunteer that shows up each week cares about what they’re doing and the impact they are making on people’s lives. Bob’s Under the Bridge gives you a strong sense of community, and it’s clear in the way that everyone comes together to help one another.
What made you want to become a Youth Board Member?
For the first 6 months that I volunteered weekly at Bob’s, I never even thought becoming a youth board member was an option. It wasn’t until around May that I began to realize that with Connor and Grace leaving for college, someone needed to step in to fulfill the jobs that they had been doing. I knew immediately that this was something I wanted, as Thursday night sortings and Saturday morning outreaches had become days I looked forward to all week. I wanted to become as involved as possible, and joining the board has made me feel like I’m really making a bigger impact on people’s lives.
What have you learned and experienced from being a Youth Board Member so far?
So far, being a youth board member has been an opportunity I will always be grateful for. I have learned so much about taking responsibility. Going from being a regular volunteer to being on the board has been a huge jump, but there have been so many people who have made it easier. I’ve learned to pay close attention to our friends at the park, remembering what they’re in need of so I pack extra on the truck for the next week or request that something be ordered. I’ve learned how much time and effort is put into Bob’s by all the board members, and I’m truly amazed at the compassion, selflessness, and work ethic they all have.
What do you hope to get out of this experience so far?
Going forward I hope that I never forget how lucky I am for the things in my life. Before Bob’s, I never paid close enough attention to all the things I should be grateful for, and watching our friends’ faces light up when you hand them a hygiene bag, some socks, or a winter hat is an image I never want to let go of.
What are your plans and goals for the future?
My big goal in the future is to find a career in the medical field. This is something that I have wanted since I was 6, always been completely fascinated by the idea. I’ve taken all the medical-related classes available to me so far, preparing for this goal. I’m not sure where I want to go to college, or what exactly I want to be, but I’m hoping I figure that out as I go.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about volunteering with Mr. Bob’s for the first time?
My advice to someone thinking about volunteering with Bob’s for the first time is to bring family and friends and to make it a weekly event. My mom started coming to Bob’s each week a few months after I began, and it’s become something that gives us some more family time during busy weeks. It’s a frequent occurrence that volunteers come in as entire families, and it’s always heartwarming to see them come back each week.