 Elizabeth Bolen, affectionately known as Liz
within the Minds Eye volunteer circle, became a
volunteer member of the Soiree pour la Vue
committee in 2007. Her experiences with Minds
Eye, however, dates back many years to her
experiences with her Aunt Joann, a former Minds
Eye listener. Liz fondly recalled memories of her
Aunt Joann listening to Minds Eye programming
and the impact that it had on her family.
“She (Joann) was such a special part of our family
that, after she passed away in 2005, my family
became more involved with supporting Minds Eye
so that other visually impaired or blind people
could enjoy the programming the way she did.”
Success in fundraising and outreach is no
stranger to Liz, who is the Assistant Director
of Development and Alumni Relations at
Saint Louis University School of Law. In this
position, Liz plans alumni events,
coordinates continuing legal education
classes, and develops programs for current
students. Her professional experience has
enabled Liz to make significant
contributions to the success of the annual
Minds Eye Soiree. As a member of the
Soiree committee, Liz has been
instrumental in securing donations and
sponsorships for the event as well as assisting with public relations projects. Her
efforts have helped the Soiree grow to be
Minds Eye’s largest and most profitable
fundraiser to date.
“I like to help sustain Minds Eye’s
programming be being a part of an amazing
team putting on a premier event,” said Liz.“The funds raised by the Soiree have a
direct impact on the listeners, as they
(funds) make the programming possible.”
Aside from numerous volunteer positions,
including her work with Minds Eye, and a
busy work schedule to boot, Liz spends
time decorating her new home and completing renovation projects. For her
next big step, she plans to start the SLU
MBA program in 2009. Liz’s professional
and personal successes, combined with a
bright, cheerful demeanor, make her an
exceptional member of the Minds Eye
volunteer team.
When asked to summarize her thoughts
about volunteering at Minds Eye, Liz said,“… I enjoy making a difference, professionally and on a volunteer level.
And, always with a smile!”
The Minds Eye family could not agree
more!
Listener LOWDOWN
Alice O. could very well be a modern day Florence Nightingale.
She received her training at St. Louis University School of Nursing
and has put her skills to good use over the last 60 years. Alice
was raised in North St. Louis and attended Sacred Heart Grade
School and St. Joseph Academy in Clayton. The oldest of three
children, she and her sister and brother led very active lives.“My mothers saw to it that we stayed busy” Alice said. During
the summer, Alice and her siblings participated in city’s summer recreational programs and took sewing and tennis lessons.
When Alice was a little older, she joined the Girl Scouts and would look forward to Day Camp each summer in Forest Park.
World War II was raging when Alice graduated from nursing
school. A unit was forming from the university to enlist in the war.
Alice was on board to sign up with the unit until she was informed
that her nursing skills were needed in the states. A colleague at
the university told her about a man from DuPont who was working
on a special project and would need help from someone with her
medical background. She went to work for this gentleman and
ended up moving to Hanford, Washington working as a public
health nurse on the site of the Manhattan Project.
When the war ended, Alice went to work for the Veterans Hospitals
and in 1971 she went to Columbia, Missouri to open a new facility.
She ended up staying at the Columbia Veterans Hospital for the
next 30 years. In 1994 Alice was diagnosed with wet Macular Degeneration and decided it would be best to move back to
St. Louis to be near her sister and her nieces and nephews.
She moved into a retirement home and began working on a
memoir about her brother who became a Jesuit missionary in
Honduras. Alice had visited her brother’s mission and assisted
with his work, lending her nursing skills to help many villagers.
She wrote a procedural manual for kitchen sanitation which
helped eradicated many food borne illnesses and she set up
temporary medical clinics to treat the villagers. “I remember one
village where so many newborn babies had cradle cap, an
infantile dermatitis scalp condition. I showed the mothers how
to treat the condition and when I returned to the United States, I
sent them ointment to help speed the recovery.” Alice’s
brother died in Honduras in 2002 and when she attended the
funeral there many people asked her to document his life and
good works in a book. She has just completed the manuscript
and is reviewing the final draft.
Alice, at 86 years of age, is still a nurse a heart. She walks to
DePaul Hospital every morning just because she likes the
scenery. When a resident in her retirement home is sick, Alice
will check on them and has even accompanied several residents
to the hospital when family was unavailable. She tells all her
friends about the Minds Eye Information Service and how much
she enjoys listening to her radio. “I really appreciate the
services that Minds Eye provides for me. It keeps my mind sharp
and helps me stay informed about community affairs. It’s the
best medicine in the world for me.” |
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