Lisa Bazzano

When I was growing up in Norfolk, I had a Norman Rockwell childhood, and I wanted the same for my five children. That’s why I chose to raise them in Norfolk, and it’s why I want to give back as much as I can through volunteering. My first child to enter Botelle School is now 30 years old. The year he started, I joined the PTO and became president the following year. I have been involved ever since.

One year, at a Veterans’ Day presentation at the school, two soldiers attended who had not seen each other since their service days. There was no formal get-together time afterwards, so they just stood around and caught up on each other’s lives. Chaya Berlstein and I came up with the idea of sponsoring a luncheon for area veterans after the students’ presentation, to give the vets a chance to sit and talk. The luncheon has been held every year since and is well-attended by our local veterans.

The Botelle community garden was another project in which I played a part, wanting to teach about gardening and raising one’s own food. I recruited volunteers to operate what I had hoped would be a beautiful outdoor classroom, with the produce used for lunches. That part of my dream didn’t work out because of school regulations, but the Norfolk Farmers Market has since taken over the garden, and the Botelle children are still able to enjoy the beautiful space and learn about growing vegetables.

I have also served on the town’s Recreation Committee, as a Girl Scout leader and have led after-school activities, but Botelle has really been my first love. My advice to people who want to volunteer while their children are young would be to offer your talents where your kids are. It’s a short window of time while your kids are in school, so volunteer your time there. There are years beyond that to volunteer elsewhere.

When that time comes for me, I will be ready to find new ways to continue to give back to my community. We all need to work together.

Chelsea Bottum

Being a volunteer has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Whether it was a leadership role in the 4-H and FFA programs while I was growing up or helping out at town events, I always wanted to be involved in giving back.

I was born and raised in Canaan and moved to Norfolk in 2013 with my husband Gary. He is a Norfolk native, and coming back to raise a family in his hometown was a dream of ours. We both knew we wanted our future children to grow up here.

Shortly after our move to Norfolk, I joined the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department and became an internal firefighter. I eventually served as president of the NVFD for a year. This was my first taste of volunteerism in Norfolk, and I wanted more.

My volunteer time was impacted, in a wonderful way, by the birth of our daughter, Chloe. Once Chloe entered pre-K, I found a place where I could give back to the community and my child as well. I joined the Botelle PTO in 2019 and have been an active member ever since. My experience with NVFD translated well into my work at Botelle, as I am now the parent volunteer on the school’s Safety and Security Committee.

Over the last few years I have become more active in the PTO and love the opportunities this group has provided for our children. This year, I have taken on the role of PTO president and am looking forward to seeing where we can take this great organization in the future. The PTO provides a way to get involved in your child’s school community and to get to know staff on a different level. That’s why I love volunteering the way I do for my daughter’s future.

Please consider stopping into a meeting or event. The students of Botelle are our future! Let’s invest in them.

John DeShazo

When we moved to Norfolk full-time in 2017, our son entered Botelle in the fourth grade. We had previously been involved in the Botelle parents’ discussions about the dwindling number of students and the budget so when asked to run for the Board of Education, I jumped at the chance. That was just the beginning.

Theater has always been a significant part of my life. I have learned so much about making things, working with people and life in general from theater. I wanted to create that same experience for the Botelle students. In 2018, I offered director Bruce Connelly my help with the Wizard of Oz. I saw the state of the lights and sound equipment the school had used for many years. With local grants, I have been slowly upgrading the lights and sound setup. I truly enjoy being part of plays, concerts, Veterans’ Day ceremonies and Hallowe’en Spooktaculars. I have been fortunate to volunteer with so many amazing people at the school and all the parents who give their time, talents and love to make Botelle a special place. 

Aside from the cool tools firefighters get to use, I had never really thought about becoming one. But when we moved to town, I didn’t want to ever need to call 911 and have someone respond to my emergency if I wasn’t willing to respond to theirs. So, along with my older son, I joined the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department. 

I get to indulge my film, music and theater needs by being on the Weekend in Norfolk and library events committees. Sue Frisch and I met the challenges of taking WIN online during Covid. At the library, we’ve been able to show documentaries and children’s short films curated by the NW Film Forum in Seattle, where I am a board member.  

When we moved to Norfolk, most of the people we knew here were members of our family. Since then, I have met and worked with so many other wonderful people who come together to get things done. I can’t imagine living in this town and not pitching in with everyone else.