a community honors its philanthropic leaders
Beverly Bodker claims a smiling face as her trademark and people as her reason for being. When she gets involved in a cause, she's usually attracted to it by the chance to make new friends. Which all adds up to a world-class volunteer.
"Beverly has an enviable capacity for motivating others to give of their time and resources to causes about which she feels strongly," says Karen L. Miller, dean and professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing. "This special gift allows Beverly's volunteerism to have an impact far beyond her own personal involvement."
Beverly began having an impact as a 13-year old candy striper at the old Menorah Hospital. Since then, she's held nearly every volunteer position there from surgery representative to vice president of the Medical Center's board of directors.
Beverly led team efforts that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, enabling Menorah to fund such projects as the construction of six labor/recovery rooms and emergency room renovation. "She has always been what I envision as the consummate volunteer," says E. Wynn Presson, vice chairman of the board of Health Midwest. "She approaches and carries out her responsibilities with excellent judgement, great people sensitivity, and the most selfless countenance."
In 1994, Beverly spearheaded the fund-raising effort to bring Race for the Cure to Kansas City. As a result, Kansas City produced the largest first-time Race for the Cure in history, including markets much larger than Kansas City.
Now, as a board member of the local chapter of the Susan B. Koman Foundation, Beverly helps award race funds to local agency programs to prevent and treat breast cancer.
When asked what's in store for her future, Beverly smiles and says, "Nothing!"
But don't believe it. She's still a board member of the Jewish Heritage Foundation and Johnson County Community College, still president of the Menorah Medical Center Foundation, and still active in Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City's Council on Aging. So stay tuned!