Meet the Volunteer: Karen Switzer

Meet Karen:

I am a Canadian, who lived in Toronto and Calgary, before moving to Switzerland in the summer of 2013. Prior to relocating, I worked in various coordinator roles in not-for-profit organizations, property management and insurance. After my son was born, I became a stay-at-home mother, and in that time, I became a group leader in my local mom and baby group, a role I continued when my daughter was born. After 12 years in Zug, I moved to Adliswil, Zürich for a fresh start after my divorce. 

What personal experiences drew you to charity work?

Giving back to the community has been a tenet I was raised with. In high school I joined our volunteer club. The highlight for me was being the Easter Bunny for the neighbourhood celebration. Though the costume was like a sauna, it was fun to make kids smile and laugh. With my work at the Heart and Stroke Foundation, I would recruit corporations and host corporate teams for fundraising events.

How did you get involved with Zharity?

My story is not unique. After moving to Adliswil, one of my goals was to become more involved in my new community. I googled English-speaking charities and Zharity was the first one to appear in my search. After the initial Zoom introductory meeting, I signed up to be a Verein member and went from there.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am part of the communications team; writing blog posts and pieces for the newsletter. When time permits, I try to get involved in our other events such as kit-making or the pad project. I contribute where and when I can.