Board member is YMOW’s volunteer of the quarter

Brent Kolb has never been one to sit idly by while there’s work to be done. And in his first year as a member of the YMOW board of directors, he’s found plenty of opportunities to pitch in.

“I can’t stand by and watch people do stuff without at least offering to help,” said Brent, YMOW’s volunteer of the quarter for the second quarter of 2022.

Even as a kid, Brent said he was always offering to help in the kitchen and around the house. A recent volunteer appreciation event became a classic example of Brent’s can-do attitude.

“My intent was just to show up and be supportive,” he said, but when the skies opened up, he joined in rescuing supplies and equipment from the rain.

At YMOW, Brent has delivered meals, attended fundraising events and helped to recruit event sponsors. His own business, Dexter Family Dentistry, is a YMOW sponsor, and he never misses a chance to tell anyone who will listen about the work of YMOW and the people the organization serves.

He said his job as a board member is to learn all he can about the organization.

“The best way to do that is to immerse yourself,” he said.

“I’m more than flattered,” Brent said of being named volunteer of the quarter.

As much as he has given to YMOW, Brent said he believes he has gained even more from his experience as a member of the board. He’s gained an understanding of the inner workings of a small non-profit, about the community, and about the needs of those served by YMOW.

“It is eye opening how hard that team works and how much they do on a daily basis,” said Brent, who is an important part of the team himself. “I hope to leave the organization in a better place than when I joined it,” he said, and he’s well on his way to doing just that.