Reprinted from Senior E-News...our own Laura (Hats) Ramsey

Laura Ramsey, 76

Inspiring Senior of the Month – September 2012

“How much time could it take to just copy edit and proofread a few pages?”

Laura spent 35 years with Boeing as a writer, retired in 1995, and soon wondered where she ever found time to work. In 2008, she volunteered to proofread a computer manual for Helping Link, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and support of the Vietnamese-American community. “How much time could it take to just copy edit and proofread a few pages?” she thought. Then, as she started helping out with a few other writing assignments, she soon found herself devoting at least 15 hours a week to support Helping Link’s mission to assist newcomers from Vietnam overcome language and social barriers, and help Vietnamese youths to adjust and excel in their new surroundings. Today Laura is actively involved in all aspects of the organization’s decision-making process, and one of its most important community members.

Helping Link/Một Dấu Nối is a grassroots s nonprofit, serving primarily the Vietnamese American immigrant and refugee population in the Greater Seattle area. Its motto sums up its mission: Helping Transitions; Honoring Tradition. “There are so many layers to the impact of Helping Link in the community and I love being a part of it,” says Laura. An example she gives is the After-School Tutoring program. Youngsters, ages 7-14, arrive at 3:00pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the school year. For the next 3 hours, they receive one-on-one help with their homework and work on a weekly art project that introduces them to Vietnamese culture and heritage. Laura affectionately keeps on her desk a dragon that the children made for her during an art class.

“The longer I stayed, the more I felt a part of what this very small agency was accomplishing.”

The children benefit directly from this program, and so do the tutors. Most of them are work-study or volunteer students from local colleges. For many, the work environment at Helping Link is an introduction to the real world and prepares them for their first jobs. For the Vietnamese-American tutors, it is a chance to connect with their culture. For those from other backgrounds, it is an introduction to a rich heritage. And for future teachers, it is a great chance to develop skills that will benefit them in their careers.

Previously, Laura had volunteered with a number of nonprofits and found it very satisfying. But her assignments were always short-term—as she thought Helping Link would be. Being a small part of this organization has turned out to be different. At first, she was intrigued by a new culture. “The longer I stayed, the more I felt a part of what this very small agency was accomplishing. I came to deeply appreciate the impact that one amazing executive director and well over a hundred volunteers with very diversified skills and backgrounds accomplish every day.”

Laura’s positive leadership has been for Helping Link’s staff and volunteers. “When I first started working for Helping Link,” says Ruth Sawyer, “Laura inspired me with her warmth and generosity. She gave me the warmest welcome I’ve ever experienced. On my first day, she presented me with a flower, a small set of my own office supplies, and some of the most welcoming words imaginable. It’s hard to explain what these small actions meant to me, but they certainly inspired me to rethink the way I show generosity in my own relationships.”

 “I’d love for you to join me!”

At Helping Link, Laura also had an opportunity to demonstrate her expertise in technical writing by working with several Vietnamese-speaking volunteers on creating a Vietnamese-English bilingualcomputer manual for Vietnamese adults who speak little or no English. All of the computer classes at the agency are delivered with two instructors. In addition to presenting the course material, bilingual classes function as an encouragement for those who speak limited English to improve their language skills. Having a Vietnamese instructor and classroom materials in Vietnamese also helps the students reduce the natural anxiety of learning. For Laura, it is fascinating to watch the class and the interplay between the instructors and the students.

Being a volunteer has prompted Laura to start learning conversational Vietnamese. If she ever goes to Viet Nam, she is determined to be able to ask on her own "How do I eat this?" and "Where is the nearest bathroom?” Laura’s community involvement does not stop with Helping Link. She is also an active member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), where she mentors many of the society’s younger members as well as stays connected to her former profession.

This is just a glimpse at the diverse activities that surround Laura at Helping Link. If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity, check out Helping Link’s website www.helpinglink.org, drop an email to the Executive Director Minh-Duc Nguyen, or stop by 1032 South Jackson, #C for a cup of tea. Laura would love for you to join her. And feel free to email or call her with any questions that you have:hatsramsey@gmail.com or (206) 261-1422.