Marysville names Volunteer of the Month

MARYSVILLE — Mayor Jon Nehring has announced  Octavio Ubin Mendez Dias as Volunteer of the Month for October for the teen’s many contributions through the YMCA, Marysville School District and community.

Mendez, 16, attends Marysville Getchell High School in the Academy of Construction and Engineering.

He is also active in the Snohomish County YMCA Minority Achievers Program, or MAP. MAP is a success story that got its start at the Marysville Y branch, where Mendez attends. The program draws a large group of energetic teens who motivate and support each other and other students of color to achieve higher educational and career goals. They get involved in their community, and spend time with friends old and new.

Nerhing said that encouraging volunteerism at a young age brings positive lessons that will enable teens to do big things with impactful results today and for many years to come.

“You’re never too young to get started,” Nehring said at the Nov. 14 City Council meeting where Mendez was honored, as family members and community leaders looked on. “Octavio is a shining example of that.”

Among Mendez’ achievements:

He volunteered with the Summer Food Program, a partnership between the School District and the Y last summer. The district provided the food, while the Y provided the place and activities. Mendez gave up a portion of his summer and went nearly every day to lead and spend time with the kids during various activities; coached kids in the Casino Road Soccer Camp; helped remove graffiti at Totem Middle School; assisted senior citizens in Marysville with MAP to make a difference on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, providing basic chores, moving furniture and the like; walked in parades to promote the YMCA; and many other volunteer activities.

Mendez was nominated by Wendy Messarina-Volosin, who serves on the Mayor’s Diversity Advisory Committee, the Marysville Community Coalition and is the School District’s English Language Learners Parent and Community Liaison for Spanish. Her nomination was roundly supported by people who interact regularly with Mendez.

Ada Garza, a bilingual liaison with the School District who also serves as Latin MAP Coordinator at the YMCA, said, “Every time I need a volunteer he is there to help.”

Nehring said his nominators describe Mendez as a quiet individual with a sense of responsibility beyond his years, but given a volunteer task, his confident, outgoing side comes out.

“Your family is rightfully proud, and we as a community are proud of the difference you are making in the lives of young and old in our community,” Nehring said.

 

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