Volunteering For CCHAT To Help Make A Difference: Mary Wudel

CCHAT volunteer Mary has a unique, inside look into the lives of deaf children from her membership at SERTOMA, a club that raises money for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. 

A retired teacher with more than 37 years of experience working with children, she remembers having a student who attended CCHAT a few years ago: 

“I was impressed with the way he was able to work in a regular classroom, even though he had a hearing loss.” 

She thought that helping out at the CCHAT center would be a great idea and even though she doesn’t sign herself, she wanted to be able to help children with disabilities. 

How Mary Learned About CCHAT

Mary knew Licia Green - who was a member of SERTOMA - and had come to many of the club meetings to talk about CCHAT and the things they did for their students. 

Mary also attended the Friends for Breakfast event at CCHAT Sacramento, which made her aware of how well the school is run and how it benefited the students attending there. 

“I was very impressed by what the children were able to do.”

The Greatest Part About The CCHAT Center 

Working with children is very rewarding and Mary says that she enjoys working closely with the students at the CCHAT center. 

“I love working with all the amazing children who attend.”

Why Mary Volunteers

Volunteering is an important part of running the center and CCHAT can only provide so much, which makes volunteers vital to its continuation. Mary tells us how she loves volunteering at the center and how the students are always delighted to see you when you come in. She also enjoys watching all of the students in the classes grow and learn each day they’re there, making the job very rewarding. 

“Everyone at CCHAT is friendly and appreciates what you do. The students are always excited to see you. It is amazing to watch these children grow and learn.”

Advice To Other Volunteers

If you’re volunteering for the CCHAT center, Mary recommends that you come regularly and be willing to do anything to help the teachers and the students. Interact with the students and contribute to the classes to help build a brighter future for the students.

“It’s helpful if you come regularly and be willing to do anything that the teacher would like you to do.  Let the teacher know things that you might like to do.”‍

Are you interested in volunteering with CCHAT? Schedule a visit to the CCHAT Center to see how volunteers help children grow and learn by calling (916) 361-7290 or send us a message.