Some
people go the extra mile, and Parent Talk would like to recognize two
of our extra milers! This year's Volunteer of the Year recognition is
shared by Laura Perras and Meghann Freni. We first shine this week's
blog entry on Laura! Stay tuned for an upcoming post on Meghann.
Spotlight on Laura Perras, Volunteer of the Year
While
friends might call Laura Perras fun, outgoing and friendly, and clients
might find in her a local realtor who does a great job with the buying
and selling of a home, Laura describes herself as a "total music nerd"
who has been an "underground edm dj for almost 20 years." She spins
house, techno, drum n bass, breaks, downtempo and bass genres while also
producing techno and house music. You may not have moved lately or have
been lucky enough to see Laura's musical talents in action, but there's
a good chance that you have run come across Laura at some point of your
Parent Talk experience over the last two years.
Maybe it was reading Laura's posts on the Parent Talk Matters Blog,
where she could probably win another award for being such an
entertaining and humorous blogger. "I take my own experiences,
successes and failures, and the info
I've found and try to simplify and condense it into something that's
also entertaining to read," she says. "At trying times, I've really
gotten a lot of relief
from brutally honest, humorous parenting blogs like Scary Mommy, and I
hope that along with sharing some good tips I can provide a little humor
as well. I think everything seems to get a little easier when we don't
take it too seriously."
Aside from blogging, she also helps maintain and update Parent Talk's Facebook page as one of PT's Marketing Co-Chairs. Or you may have met Laura at any number of Parent Talk events.
Aside from blogging, she also helps maintain and update Parent Talk's Facebook page as one of PT's Marketing Co-Chairs. Or you may have met Laura at any number of Parent Talk events.
It's
Laura's can-do attitude, her reliability, and her contribution to so
many aspects of Parent Talk that have made her such an invaluable member
of Parent Talk. She's a Most Valuable Player -- an MVP and a
no-brainer when it came to candidates for Parent Talk's Volunteer of the
Year. From lending a hand for a few hours at each event like Flicks on
the Field, Parent Talk's New Member Playdate, Winter Marketplace, and
many more involved hours as a member of the Sales Committee, to sharing
her personal research on parenting questions as blog coordinator and her
commitment in her current position as Co-Chair of Marketing on the PT
Board, Laura is a remarkable volunteer! And she does it all with humor
and grace. We applaud and appreciate all of her efforts to help make
Parent Talk resources available to all members.
Laura
first got involved in Parent Talk after moving from New York City with
her daughter, Violet (age 4), back to the area where she grew up. As a
William Raveis realtor in Brookline, she helped open an office for her
firm in Needham, and now practices out of both locations. She also
tried to find a robust online mom's forum, similar to what she had in
NYC. Parent Talk was the answer.
She first volunteered at Flicks on the
Field and came back for more by joining the Sale Committee. She says
she loves the fast pace of the Sale, meeting great people, and getting
amazing deals. But the best part for her comes at the end of the Sale,
after buyers have already swept through in the first few hours of
sometimes frantic shopping that includes the Bag Sale. One of her
favorite Parent Talk volunteer experiences was assisting a charity in
collecting leftover Sale items for use for their members and clients.
Another of Laura's memorable volunteer experiences has been donating to
Project NightNight, an organization that collects bags, including a
blanket, soft toy and book for children staying in shelters. She says,
"One of my favorite things about Parent Talk is that there are
opportunities to volunteer with our kids. I did a lot of volunteer work
with my mother growing up (not all of it willingly, I admit) and it
definitely shaped who I am." She and daughter Violet put together a bag
with an emoji pillow and book about Rad Women for an older child.
Asked
what she might say to members who have not yet volunteered with Parent
Talk, she advises, "You're missing out! Every time I go to a Parent Talk
event, I leave inspired and energized. I not only get to connect with
other parents and relate our parenting experiences, but I also get to
remember what it's like to be myself, a person, apart from being a mom.
And I think we can all agree most parents could use a little more of that."
About the Author:
Darlene
W. Cancell first volunteered for Parent Talk at its biannual Used Toy,
Clothing and Equipment Sale. She followed that with a stint as PT's
Blog Coordinator and currently is enjoying her role on the Board as
Volunteer Chair. She hopes she can help make volunteering with Parent
Talk even more fun, convenient and rewarding. If you have any
suggestions, comments or questions about volunteering, please email her
at volunteer@parenttalk.info.
