Sandy Doughty credits her parents for instilling the value of volunteerism.
“As a child, I learned that you get a lot from giving to others,” said Doughty, a Glendale resident.
Simple acts of kindness have always been a part of her family’s way of giving to the less fortunate, she said.
“My parents encouraged me to pick out a Christmas gift and give to a needy child in Mexico,” said Doughty, 46. “I remember leaving suitcases full of clothes for needy cousins.”
It was only natural for Doughty to continue what her parents taught her.
For more than 20 years, Doughty has served on the Glendale Adventist Medical Center gala committee.
It all started when she worked as the medical center’s volunteer services manager, and before she knew it, she was donating her time to help raise funds for annual galas and golf tournaments.
“I got bit by the fundraising bug,” she said. “I’m not afraid to get up in front of a group of people and tell them I need their money.”
To date, Doughty has helped plan 13 golf tournaments, 13 galas and events for children.
She’s even got her husband to play Santa for the hospital’s annual Christmas party.
“She goes the extra mile, there is no doubt about it,” said Gayle Craig, special events and annual giving coordinator for the Glendale Adventist Healthcare Foundation. “Anything is easier with Sandy helping.”
But helping raise money for Glendale Adventist hasn’t been enough for Doughty, who served two years on the board of directors of the Glendale Assn. for the Retarded.
After serving the organization, Doughty started working for them seven years ago as the foundation director, and in January she was asked to take the position of executive director.
In April, she also joined the Glendale chapter of Soroptimists International, a service club that raises money for charities.
“This is a group of women who are really making a difference,” Doughty said.
After attending the group’s annual “Bras for a Cause,” a breast cancer research fundraiser, Doughty felt compelled to become a part of the organization.
She is working to organize a wine-tasting event that will benefit about 20 nonprofit organizations, Doughty said.
But joining the Soroptimists isn’t all about fundraising. Doughty puts her cooking skills to use as a way to thank donors.
She prepares meals for winners of silent-auction packages, she said, adding that she cooks and serves a full dinner at the donor’s home.
“If you surround yourself with people who love to work and help, I can’t see you finding anything else but success,” Doughty said.
