Elizabeth Voglewede’s storied career as a community volunteer, especially for the Girls Scouts of our region, is legendary. Her nominator writes, “Her dedication across so many organizations has truly built momentum within our community that is undeniable.” She has dedicated her efforts and resources to many organizations over the past several decades, and is a lifelong teacher who has taught elementary students in several districts from Benton Harbor to Berrien Springs, coached cross country athletes and teams of girls for the local chapter of Girls on the Run. Even after stepping away from her teaching career to raise a family, she continued to support teachers by becoming president of a cooperative pre-school and leading that for several years. She even founded the local chapter of MOMS Club International and has lead major fundraising events and much more over the years. Additionally, her role in the CASA program of Southwest Michigan has direct impact through those she continues to support emotionally, physically, and at times even financially. She truly exhibits every quality of a Bold Woman of Business in our region.
Name
Elizabeth Voglewede
Where do you live?
St. Joseph, MI
Company or Organization
Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana – Michiana, CASA
What is your job or role there?
I have served as a troop leader of multiple troops over the past 12 years. Currently I have a Middle School and a High School troop. I also have served as our Service Unit Manager to much of Berrien County, helping leaders lead their local troops. I act as a liaison between our council and our local troop leaders, provide training for leaders, plan both county wide and council events throughout the year, recruit new girls and adults, and assist in the Cookie Cupboard to ensure Berrien County has cookies during the sale.
I have served as a volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) since 2020.
How do you think that Bold Women of Business demonstrate being bold?
To be bold means taking risks and putting yourself out there while being a role model to others. Settling for the same or ok isn’t good enough – we must always challenge our way of doing things and our way of thinking to ensure we are offering the best experience. Being bold means trying different ways of doing things to improve, knowing it won’t always work.
Bold women are often defined by a number of descriptors. Please choose from the following descriptors to produce the top three that you would say most exemplify your personality?
Confident…Valiant…Strong
Please provide an example of when you feel you were at your very best in taking action on the job or in your role.
When the world shut down due to COVID my daughter expressed her concern for kids stuck at home with nowhere safe to go. It got me thinking about an organization a friend was involved in and I immediately decided I needed to get involved. I called up CASA and signed up to become trained to work with kids in foster care. Trainings were all done virtually and I was assigned my first 2 families. Within the first year I was blessed to help reunite one family and 16 months later I witnessed the other be adopted by a loving family she calls her own.
What’s the funniest thing that ever happened on your road to success?
Well there was this one time the girls challenged each other to eat crickets. Thankfully I had to video it and my hands were full so I got off the hook.
And then there was this other time we were setting up sleeping bags in our cabin and we discovered about 25 mice had decided it was where they were spending the night to stay warm. Boy, they surprised us.
These fun times helped our troops not only bond but also caused us to dig deep for bravery.
Who most inspires your personal drive for success every day?
Years ago at one of the first Camporees I organized, I witnessed a young Brownie’s eyes light up in awe. “You can cook French Toast and sausage on top of a tin can? Really?” Now 12 years later this same girl is a lifetime member helping to lead girls in their outdoor experience. Beyond that she harnesses the many skills she’s learned in Girl Scouts and the confidence she’s gained and applies them toward her daily life.
Being a witness to 100s of girls and adults build courage, confidence, and character in similar experiences over the years inspires me to lead at my best every day.
What is your best advice to women in Southwest Michigan looking to succeed, as you have, in business?
It’s important to find what drives you and what your passion is. Then find a way to put it into action. As the world changes around us -and we change -always evaluate how you can help, grow, and provide service to others.
What does your selection to the first ever Bold Women of Business from Moody on the Market mean to you?
I love what I do! I don’t do it for recognition but I’m honored. I’m grateful for being selected as it provides an opportunity to show other women and girls that they can achieve what they want to. But also, being nominated shows me that what I do matters to others and makes a difference in the world.
