Did you know that one of Parkhurst’s core values is “we care about people?” As a company, not only does this principle guide how we treat one another but also how we invest our time and money into the community.

Unsurprisingly, our team members are passionate about caring for others in big ways, small ways, and everything in between, and we recognize volunteerism at all levels. We encourage our team members to share their volunteer hours with us so that we can celebrate their acts of service! When we all give back to the community, everyone wins! Each year, we also give special recognition through our Volunteer of the Year Awards to team members who go above and beyond in the name of service.

This year, we recognized four Volunteer of the Year Finalists from across our company, two of which are Parkhurst team members! Read below to learn more about these finalists and their inspiring stories.

Michelle Gilmore, Parkhurst at Chatham University

Michelle cares so deeply about her community and ensuring that her neighbors in need feel supported that she and her friends started their own service club! They do all sorts of good work around Pittsburgh from preparing bagged lunches and cooking full holiday meals for those who are homeless, to organizing toy, coat, backpack, and food drives. Michelle says she is driven to volunteer because she was always taught to pay it forward and she loves helping to create smiles for others, especially for those who need it most.

Zak Puhala, Parkhurst at Wittenberg University

Zak spends a lot of his professional and personal time around food! He volunteers as the Education Chair of the Clark County Local Food Council where he teaches community members, especially senior citizens, how to cook, brings awareness to the importance of local food growers in the community, and provides resources to help connect those who don’t have steady access to food. Another passion of Zak’s is water polo; he volunteers as an assistant coach for the team at Wittenberg. Zak really shines in his areas of passion and expertise to benefit the larger community!

Congratulations to Michelle and Zak!