WOLF, Judy

[[Image:wolfj.jpg|left|thumb|550px|Wolf, Judy. (Colesburg, IA-- ). Judy Wolf became the 51st recipient of the Telegraph Herald's FIRST CITIZEN AWARD in 2020 amid accolades from former recipients of the award and community leaders of Dubuque. In one of many praises, Nicole Ganz, a member of the Steeple Square Board of Directors, when nominating Wolf for a recent “Everyday Hero” recognition, wrote:

             Wolf only had eight months of experience overseeing the 
             child care center when the coronavirus pandemic struck 
             in March. While COVID-19 threatened the health of teachers
             and students, worried the parents who began working from 
             home and changed operations with the introduction of masks, 
             social-distancing practices and temperature checks. 

             Judy was ... incredibly resourceful, finding the center 
             grants and other COVID relief opportunities. Judy also 
             used her vast finance experience to navigate the 
             (Paycheck Protection Program) loans and other governmental 
             programs to help with COVID relief. Did I mention Judy is 
             ‘just’ a volunteer? A newly appointed board president to a 
             newly opened, nonprofit child care center? It is truly 
             admirable what she has accomplished in 2020.

Wolf's accounting experience and supply management experience came as an employee of the JOHN DEERE DUBUQUE WORKS. She started at Deere in an entry-level clerical job and then advanced through several positions. In 1982 she started her undergraduate degree in accounting and business administration and earned a Master's degree from the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE. She began in accounting for John Deere in 1989.

At Deere, Wolf became a donor to the United Way and began learning about all the different programs they served and learned how vital they were to the community. She led the internal United Way campaign at Deere for many years.

Having joined the local United Way’s board of directors around 2010, Wolf co-chaired the organization’s 2012 fundraising campaign with Gary DOLPHIN. To her the organization was ‘the mutual fund of the not-for-profits.’ An "investor" had "trained specialists from many areas of the community looking at the most critical needs and making sure dollars are invested wisely.” She had served the United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States as resource development chairwoman and on its executive committee. Wolf also helped boards for nonprofit organizations that provided counseling to individuals and families, financial literacy for young people and Catholic education to local students.

The Greater Tri-State Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals named Wolf its Outstanding Volunteer Philanthropist in 2014. She served on the boards of JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF THE HEARTLAND and CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF DUBUQUE. To help raise funds for HOSPICE OF DUBUQUE, she recruited gourmet chefs from the tri-state area to prepare a five-course meal for 200 people as part of a benefit dinner and live auction in 2017. The event raised $45,000. Wolf volunteered in leadership roles at ST. COLUMBKILLE CATHOLIC CHURCH and with HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. She was instrumental in the organizing of Holy Family’s Circle of Celebration, an annual fundraising event formerly known as the Golden Gala. Her community involvement has also

Many experiences preceded one of her biggest contributions. According to Wolf, mentoring a girl at AUDUBON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL from first grade until she left the school gave her a first exposure to disadvantaged children.

            It was an eye-opener for me to see at a very young 
            age how home life was affecting how those kids 
            performed in school and what their outlook on life 
            was. I really recognized the importance of being 
            able to be a listener and a mentor to them to help 
            guide them to better decisions as they grow up. 

Years later Wolf was asked if she would be interested in assisting with the finances at Steeple Square. In what evolved into a nearly 40-hour-per-week job since Steeple Square’s Marita Theisen Child Care Center opened in August 2019. Wolf guided Steeple Square, a continuing project to transform the former St. Mary’s Catholic Parish property at East 15th and White streets into a campus offering a community/event center, apartments, offices for nonprofit organizations and child care. As president of Marita Theisen Childcare Center at Steeple Square, Wolf directed restoration efforts that created the child care space and helped recruit a director and students in addition to applying for grants and tax credits.

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Source:

Hogstrom, Erik, "TH First Citizen Award Winner: Wolf Involved, 'Heart and Soul,'" Telegraph Herald, January 1, 2021, p. 1A