January 2021
Bunny Stoops
Tell us a little about yourself: 

I’m on the Board of CUSH and represent them on the Leadership Table of Building Our Future and Building our Community and at Beth Hillel.

I have been a Blanketeer with Project Linus for 20 years. Project Linus is an all volunteer organization that makes handmade blankets for children in the hospital. I give Kids Helping Kids presentations in the schools, 4H Clubs and Girl Scout troops. I bring in muslin squares that the kids decorate and then are made into quilts for the hospitalized children. The faculty members of KUSD have been so welcoming and have allowed me to come in and give these presentations. I make one quilt from each group and bring it back so the kids can see how they’ve helped.

 We joined Beth Hillel Temple a year after we moved here and that’s where I learned about mentoring at KUSD. I started out being a KABA mentor and switched to KAFASI RSVP 2 years ago. I now mentor 8 children: 2 at Brass, 2 at Bullen, 2 at Lincoln, 1 at Bradford and 1 at Tremper.

We semi-retired to Kenosha, from Skokie IL, 15 ½ year ago. I was born in Chicago and lived around there until moving here. We have a daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and 2 grandsons in Kenosha and a son, daughter-in-law and 2 grandsons in Madison.

I’m a part time Greeter at Proko Funeral Home. 
How long have you been volunteering for United Way of Kenosha County? 

Nine years according to the Readers are Leaders Tee shirts in my drawer.
I became a reading tutor last year for a girl in 2nd grade at Brass Community School. She is now in 3rd grade. I’m still with her and also an adorable kindergartner.
How did you get involved with United Way of Kenosha County?  

I started out mentoring through KABA and a friend, from there, told me about the Dr. Seuss Readers are Leaders day.
What is your favorite experience/story from your work with United Way of Kenosha County?

I was mentoring at one of the middle schools and this boy came up to me and said,
“You read a Dr. Seuss book to my class when I was in 4th grade”. Wow!

The look on the child’s face when you come to the classroom door to get them for tutoring is unreal. They are beaming and all the kids in the room yell hi.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love to read, talk on the phone and get together with friends. I also knit, crochet or quilt blankets for Project Linus. I also try to spend as much time as I can with our Kenosha grandchildren. 
What would you say to someone who is thinking of volunteering for United Way of Kenosha County?

Just do it, don’t think twice. 
What is your favorite quote?

My favorite everything is the first stanza of Rudyard Kipling’s poem: IF
 
If you can keep your head when all about you
 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
 But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
 Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
 And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
Tell us something that inspires you?

I am in awe of the teachers and support staff in the KUSD schools. It’s amazing what they deal with each and every day and then they still come back the next day and give it their all.