Tara Amarose, the new United Way worker in the area, poses for a photograph Tuesday, December 8. Ms. Amarose's duties include organizing events, bringing in volunteers, coordinating the Youth Volunteer Corps, and helping community groups. Tara Amarose experienced a homecoming when she was awarded a position working for United Way of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Ms. Amarose, a Hessel resident and 2003 Cedarville High School graduate, returned home after earning a psychology degree from Grand Valley State University. She took over for Brad Hunter, who was employed at United Way as a part of Americorps' Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program.

Ms. Amarose will plan events, recruit and organize volunteers, maintain Web site posts, assist community organizations, work on fundraising, and take the reins of the Youth Volunteer Corps program, a duty that will often take her into local schools.

"I'm really excited about that," she said of the youth program. "I like working with the youth. I want to show them we can also have fun while we are volunteering."

Ms. Amarose said that at college, she also gained a desire to help people and a passion for health, education, and medicine.

"My education is what made me want to do these things," she said. The Peace Corps is the next step for her, she said, and she had originally planned on moving to South Korea to teach English for a year.

"I just kind of fell into this job and it was a perfect fit for me," Ms. Amarose said. "I feel like I'm getting that confidence before I start with the Peace Corps."

As a VISTA volunteer, she said her main mission is to combat poverty in the community. The relationship people have with their communities is an important one, Ms. Amarose said, and she hopes to help build that relationship for area residents.

Ms. Amarose plans to work for United Way in the area at least until November 2010, when her VISTA service is over.

The fact that she grew up in the Les Cheneaux area influenced her decision to pursue the job.

"I think it's very beneficial to have a base in the community," Ms. Amarose said. "I would like to spend some of my time in Cedarville and Hessel and in Newberry and the Luce County areas, too."

One of the upcoming programs she will be working with is Disney's Give-a-Day, Get-a-Day program that rewards volunteers with a free day pass to Disney theme parks. The program starts January 1, 2010. Another upcoming program is the "Soup or Bowl Saturday" event planned as a family volunteer day February 6, 2010, in Sault Ste. Marie. Families will gather to make and serve soup to the needy.

To contact Ms. Amarose about volunteer opportunities, call United Way's Sault Ste. Marie office at (906) 253-9839.