Everything we do is made possible because of our amazing volunteers. We highlight many of these great individuals throughout the year in our Volunteer Spotlight. For more information on this program or to suggest a volunteer to spotlight, click here.
Volunteer Spotlight – Dora Pulley
Dora’s journey as a volunteer began back in 2003. One night while preparing dinner, her husband asked her to come and watch a WRAL News segment spotlighting a young singer from Raleigh. It was Clay Aiken. The video segment showed him singing in his mom’s backyard preparing for his audition in Atlanta. They followed him all the way through the American Idol competition and were shocked when he placed as first runner-up. They feared that they would never get to hear him sing again.
By way of a friend, she met and got to know Faye Parker (Clay’s mom) in 2004. In 2005, she started assisting the Bubel Aiken Foundation as a volunteer by helping Faye with the Champions Gala Silent Auction. It was at that point that she fell in love with what the foundation stood for having had a nephew with MD. She knew firsthand what it was felt like to have a loved one sit on the sidelines and watch as the “normal” kids enjoy themselves. Dora remembers “the hurt in my brother’s eyes as he tried to explain to his son why he couldn’t join the other kids. In a way it just didn’t seem fair.” She wished something like the National Inclusion Project had been available for her nephew.
Every year since 2005 she has volunteered with the Silent Auction at the annual gala, with Dancing like the Stars at the Raleigh’s Southern Women’s Show and for Wrapping for Inclusion during the Christmas holidays. Also as a part of being a volunteer and on an annual basis, the volunteers make solicitations for donations. For Dora this, on occasion, is not an easy part of the volunteer’s role; nonetheless, she reminds herself, “…it’s for the kids”.
Dora’s background consists or 25 years in various State Government Divisions’ Personnel or Human Resources departments. She retired in 2012. After her retirement she knew she wanted to do something on a part time basis to keep her mind active and something that would also allow her to do something that would benefit others. After only six weeks at home we asked her if she would like to help with administrative work at the National Inclusion Project. She’s been here a little over three years. ‘I enjoy seeing how everyone here works together and together we make it all work.’ We are very fortunate to have Dora as a volunteer and as a part time staff person.