Volunteer of the Month: Mia Strollo

This month, we are thrilled to recognize Mia Strollo as Eagle Valley Community Foundation’s Volunteer of the Month. Each summer, Mia visits Vail to spend time with her aunt and uncle, Vail residents and EVCF Board members Laura and Jeff Malehorn. During her time with us, Mia has been an invaluable member of our development team, helping with mailings, social media, and day-to-day operations. We are so grateful for her enthusiasm, positive attitude, and willingness to jump in wherever help is needed. Thank you, Mia, for making such a meaningful impact on our team and community!

Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

I am a rising junior in high school from Chevy Chase, Maryland. I love experiencing new things, whether it’s traveling to new places to exploring new foods and hobbies. My favorite class in school is Psychology, and I look forward to the upcoming school year. I love playing lacrosse, teaching children’s taekwondo classes, and doing crafts like scrapbooking and sewing. 

Can you share any previous internships, volunteer experiences, or other opportunities that have been meaningful to you?

This past year, I have consistently volunteered for the event planning committee at my synagogue in DC. I have successfully worked with a group of members to plan a Hanukkah party and a first annual trivia night/silent auction to raise money for the youth programs at the synagogue. This work is important to me, because I participated in Hebrew School for many years when I was younger, and I want to ensure that the next generation of Jewish kids in the area can have those impactful experiences. 

What inspired you to volunteer with Eagle Valley Community Foundation?

When I come to Vail to visit family, I try to help out for a few hours at The Community Market. I learned about the Foundation through my relatives who are board members and find the work that they do to be extremely important. Though I often do more hands-on work and repackage food at the market, this summer I decided to use my extended stay in Vail to do more behind-the-scenes work to learn more about non-profit management.

What have you enjoyed most about your volunteer experience at EVCF so far?

My favorite thing to help with is creating social media posts to spread awareness about health concerns and inform the community about the services that EVCF offers.

What do you hope to learn or gain from volunteering with EVCF?

I hope to learn more about the strategies the Foundation uses to reach out to the community for support and how EVCF continues to grow year after year due to dedicated work from the entire team. I’d also like to gain a better understanding about how staff members and board members work together to create programs and encourage donation.