Community Clicks

Running buddies: Vesna Temelkovski, right, and Rachael Smith

Keeping the lights on is a challenge for many low-income people in Michigan.

But 30 Compuware employees participated in The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) Treadmill Challenge January 27 to help make a difference in their lives.

The event, held at the Wellness Center, helped raise money for Detroit-based THAW, a nonprofit which provides emergency energy assistance to those who cannot pay their utility bills and face a shut-off.

Compuware, in its fifth year participating, raised $7,344 for the organization.

“It is so nice that the Compuware employees are so supportive year after year,” said Rose Sarti, special events coordinator for THAW. “We don’t need to beg them to get involved; they just do it because they support the cause.”

Vesna Temelkovski, a financial analyst, ran on the treadmill for the fifth year and raised the most money among Compuware employees: $1,400.

“I have an amazing network of colleagues, family and friends who support me and the cause,” she said.

“Laura Fournier, the chief financial officer, is my biggest cheerleader, and she always makes a generous contribution for the organization.”

Participating in the Treadmill Challenge is rewarding for Temelkovski.

“Running is one of my passions,” she said. “I am able to blend my love of running with helping those who are struggling with their utilities. It makes me feel I’m able to help out…even just a little.”

Bob Jakes, a quality assurance analyst, celebrated his 65^th birthday by raising the second most funds: $1,210.

He “survived” a one hour bike ride to help those “who cannot afford paying their heating bills, which is very important in these economic times.”

Sarti emphasizes the precarious situation facing many impoverished people.
“There are many state and federal cuts that are taking place within the low-income community, so the need is growing,” she said. “Every dollar that comes into THAW helps the families that are in need.”

The Treadmill Challenge is an ancillary event to WWJ Newsradio 950′s 31-hour radiothon for THAW, which has raised $370,000 to date. The utility companies match dollar for dollar all monies raised, including funds collected in the Treadmill Challenge.

A thank-you note from a Judson Center youngster.

For foster children, a little attention goes a long way.

Just ask Donna Belgan, chief development officer at the Judson Center, a social services agency in Royal Oak, Mich., that provides a variety of services for children in need.

Belgan says that Compuware’s 25^th annual Christmas party for 33 foster children was “amazing” for the boost it gave the kids.

“Our kids loved it,” she said. “They don’t often have the opportunity to feel special and celebrated, and the party puts all the attention on them. It’s very important to the kids when they have been abused in the past. It really makes the difference in their lives.”

Judy Lenzotti, a Compuware mainframe software developer for 36 years, has headed the holiday effort since the beginning. She and Brenda Daughenbaugh, a Vantage support team leader who has helped coordinate the party for 15 years, made sure the children felt cared for and special from the party’s goodies, crafts, games and gifts.

They were assisted by nearly 90 employees who acted as elves working behind the scene, even starting in October.

“They did a terrific job helping organize the party and activities, collecting candy, gathering employee donations and making and stuffing the Christmas stockings,” Lenzotti said. “They also donated great stuffed animals, shopped for bargains on Black Friday, wrapped presents, transported them all over, and did whatever else we needed!”

She says there was plenty of food and wonderful treats that employees made or bought.

“The decorated Santa cookies, assorted treats, pizza and pop were a hit with the children,” Lenzotti said.

What’s more, employees assisted the kids while they made bead bracelets and other crafts. They also set up tables for face-painting, nail- polishing and tattoos. They took pictures of the kids and printed them so the children could take them home.

Software developer Len Redmond was one of the volunteers who helped coordinate the children’s games.

“The kids really enjoyed playing ladder golf, Wii games, ball toss into nets, pop bottle bowling and table tennis,” Redmond said.

He was touched watching the kids get about 90 gifts from Santa’s elf, Steve Jones, the husband of Compuware employee Mary Kate Jones, who was also involved in organizing the event.

The kids, ages 3-17, received multiple gifts, some of which included art & craft sets, games, books, power rangers, learning toys, to jewelry, mp3 players and chargers and hot wheels sets. Each child also got a big stuffed animal and a Christmas stocking full of goodies, gloves, lotions and small toys.

“When receiving the gifts, Steve had each child say three positive things about themselves,” Redmond said. “It was very moving seeing the kids clap and cheer for each other in response to their positive statements. Making a child feel good and feel part of a big family, even for one night, is gratifying.”

Additionally, Compuware “adopted” 60 foster children and 15 developmentally disabled adults at the Judson Center and gave them 200 gifts they had requested for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, Daughenbaugh and her husband delivered 60 gifts to children in the organization’s program for kids with severe emotional disabilities. They also took over a car load of unwrapped presents and clothes to use for new kids and families who come into its programs, often with little but the clothes on their backs.

Lenzotti and Daughenbaugh are proud that each recipient got several gifts and far more than the allotted $40 dollars would normally buy.

“It’s one of the few times you can donate and know that 100 percent of your donation will actually get to the people in need!” Lenzotti said.

Compuware employees and their family and friends at Crossroads.

For dozens of Compuware employees, giving back to the community is the real joy of the holiday season.

Fifty employees volunteered Dec. 18 at the Crossroads of Michigan soup kitchen in Detroit.

Last year was the 40^th anniversary for the unique Crossroads operation. Many local soup kitchens are open during the week, but Crossroads is the only Detroit facility open 52 Sundays a year, serving between 600-1000 lunches to low-income residents. (more…)