Anne Charamella
Published: July 27, 2015
The Sparrow Women's Board of Managers and the Volunteer Services Department have nominated Anne Charamella of East Lansing as the August Volunteer of the Month.
Charamella grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and now lives in East Lansing.
Charamella and her family witnessed their town transform when Oak Ridge, also known as “Atomic City,” was established as the production site for the Manhattan Project. It is where Charamella met her husband, Leigh, who came to Oak Ridge to work as a scientist. They lived in several states during his career and eventually moved to Cincinnati for her husband to earn his PhD. In Cincinnati, their son Connor was born. Connor is now married to his wife, Donna, and they have two teenage sons who live in East Lansing.
As a former elementary teacher, Charamella was invited by fellow teachers to join Hello Hospital, a program which helps children have an early “fun” hospital experience and lessen children’s fear of hospitals. Her background in reading to local schoolchildren through the “Reading Is Fundamental Program” and at Woldumar Nature Center summer camp made her the perfect fit for working with 1st grade students in Hello Hospital. She has been a Hello Hospital Volunteer for eight years.
Charamella’s Hello Hospital leader, Marlene Cosgrove, says she is wonderful at interacting with the children and is great at introducing new Volunteers to the program. Charamella is a great example of a Sparrow Volunteer, using her personal skills and experiences to help others.
Charamella and her husband enjoy attending the school functions of their grandsons. They also enjoy traveling and have been to Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, and have cruised the Caribbean Ocean.
For more information about volunteering at Sparrow, visit Sparrow.org/Volunteer.