Staff Spotlight – Bonnie Holtzclaw – Shared Operational Services Specialist – Meridian
What lesson are you most grateful for learning?
My fourth-grade teacher was blind. I learned so much from him that year, such as how to assist people while respecting their abilities and not being afraid of interacting with people who may have any type of disability. I believe that some of the discomfort we have when engaging with someone who is different from us (in any way) is partially due to our fear of unfamiliarity. The best way that I have found to put this fear and discomfort to rest is to ask questions about how to best assist that particular person, and it can sometimes be the beginning of a great conversation and friendship.
In your opinion, what is the most important invention in history?
I believe that paper is one of the most important inventions ever. Where would we be without books?
What has been the most impactful part of working at The Idaho Foodbank during your tenure?
I’m fortunate enough to have impactful moments almost every day. I get to experience seeing and hearing peoples’ relief when we inform them about the network of partners available to them; I get to experience seeing and hearing our volunteers when they are leaving after a shift, talking with each other about what they just did; I get to experience visiting with donors who stop in regularly (some of them on a monthly basis), try to answer any questions they may have and let them know how their ongoing support makes it possible for us to work towards our mission.
My favorite way to spend the day is:
It’s a tie between volunteering and bicycling, and if I can combine the two, I’m one happy person!
What is the kindest thing someone has done for you?
As a child, my local library branch was my daily hang-out … doesn’t every kid do this?? The librarian became very important to me. She taught me the basics of the library system, and by the time I was 10 she trusted me to put books away for her using the Dewey Decimal System. Being allowed and encouraged to do something like this started to give me some confidence in myself I guess, and I ended up working at the main library as my first job when I was old enough.