No Joke: April's Volunteer of the Month is Matt Bouse!

April 1, 2013 | 826 Blog Post

mattvotm

There are some people who make the room — and life, and the world —  a little brighter just by being in it. And sometimes one of them walks through 826michigan’s doors.

Matt Bouse is just such a person, to the extent that his name itself has become sort of a magical chant: “MATT BOUSE!” is not an uncommon thing for us to shout, usually out of an overwhelming feeling of affection or gratitude.

Matt’s sense of humor, his impeccable style, and his easy-going, friendly-to-all-comers manner have made him a true asset to our volunteer corps as he tutored, competed in fundraising events, and served on our outreach committee, the 826 Ambassadors. Matt’s inimitable energy has in turn energized all of us to be better tutors, more creative fundraisers, and more sociable volunteers — he even organized an ice-skating outing, with fellow Ambassadorial super-star Phoebe Goldberg (VotM December ’09), that was extremely wholesome good fun. He brings such flair to everything he does. (For example, Matt competed in our recent Trivia for Cheaters fundraiser with team “Bed Bath and Beyonce”, wearing a Snuggie [the Bed/Bath] and black leggings [the Beyonce]. We’ll say no more.)

He’s also one-half of a true Power Couple with Beth Barrett (VotM January ’11), who has done just about everything under the sun with 826michigan at this point and who has done it all with her own brand of astonishingly (ASTONISHINGLY) cheerful enthusiasm.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and there’s a reason we’ve been using the past tense to describe Matt’s volunteering with 826michigan. . .it’s almost too painful to say. . .but say it we must. . .

Just last week Matt moved to Boston to start a new job and a new chapter of his life. (And perhaps a new illustrious volunteer career at 826 Boston?) We’ll miss him dearly, but we will never (COULD never) forget him and all the amazing work he did with and for 826michigan!

Thank you so much, MATT BOUSE! You made 826michigan a better place.


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