CONWAY — When Ashley German of Conway made a career change late last year, the passion she felt in her new job was almost immediate.
That’s because German, who is an American Cancer Society community manager for a seven-county area, quickly saw the passion exhibited by volunteers in her coverage area.
“The passion from volunteers has really blown me away,” she said. “It seems like so many of these volunteers commit themselves to the mission so much that it is almost like they are taking on a second job because they are so passionate about what they do,” she said.
“For me, it is easy for me to love my job and so easy for me to do my job when I am surrounded by people who are so passionate about what they are doing. So their passion has really made me passionate about my job, too.”
German’s job is to serve as the liaison between the American Cancer Society and volunteers in the communities in her coverage area, which includes Pope, Yell, Van Buren, Cleburne, Perry, Conway and Johnson counties.
She joined the American Cancer Society after working in student services at Pulaski Technical College. She performed a variety of tasks there, including work in admissions and advising, as well as teaching college-seminar classes. She enjoyed the work, but she said she did not enjoy the commute from the college’s Little Rock-South campus on Interstate 30 to her home in Conway. With her husband teaching in Conway, German said, she decided to explore other career options.
The option she chose with the American Cancer Society has been a perfect fit, she said.
“I’ve always wanted to do something where I felt like I was making a contribution in a big way,” she said. “Luckily, I’ve never lost an immediate family member to cancer; however, we have all been touched in some way. So the draw for me is to help create a world where that does not happen anymore. I just want to be part of a movement to eliminate cancer.
“I’m here to offer support for my communities. At ACS, we want our events like Relay for Life to be very volunteer-driven because at the end of the day, this is your community. You know your community better than I do. But I am here to offer support, no matter what that support is. If that means going out and helping with sponsorships, I can do that. It if means helping find entertainment, I can do that.”
German has a busy spring ahead of her, with four Relay for Life events scheduled, including three in a four-week stretch. Relay for Life is considered the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society.
First up is the River Valley Relay for Life in Pope and Yell counties, scheduled for 5-11 p.m. March 14 at Russellville High School’s Cyclone Stadium.
The Petit Jean Valley Relay for Life in Conway and Perry counties will be held at
Morrilton High School on May 1. The following week, on May 8, the Van Buren County Relay for Life will be held at Clinton High School.
The final Relay for Life in German’s coverage area is the Cleburne County event, scheduled for Sept. 18 in Heber Springs’ city park.
While German works primarily with volunteers, she is also glad to serve as a source of information about services ACS can provide to cancer patients and their caregivers. The service aspect of the American Cancer Society is sometimes overlooked, she said. But in Pope County alone in 2014, more than 480 people received services of some kind through the society, whether assistance with lodging for medical treatments or benefit from a number of programs, such as Reach to Recovery, Hope Lodges, Look Good Feel Better and others.
German said there are a number of nonprofits that raise money to fight cancer.
“What sets ACS apart,” she said, “is we focus not only on cancer, but all cancer. So we try to provide dollars for every type of cancer.”
Volunteers may also be interested in the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, she said, which is all about advocacy, including talking with politicians and other policymakers about issues related to cancer, such as funding or regulations that might create a healthier environment.
For more information about American Cancer Society services, or to volunteer, contact German at Ashley.german@cancer.org or (479) 857-6964.