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Current Issue Links
New year brings new leadership to United Way
Marla Erwin trains Kari Boisvert to take her place as interim director
as Erwin prepares to leave this week to join her family in San Jose.
as Erwin prepares to leave this week to join her family in San Jose.
By REBECCA NEIPP
News Review Staff Writer
News Review Staff Writer
But although she says she will be happy to have her family together, she will be sad to leave her life in
Ridgecrest. “I have loved it. I’ve been very active with my church [Immanuel Baptist] and with the [Ridgecrest]
Chamber of Commerce, and I have absolutely loved United Way.”
The job matched her passion for marketing and public relations with the ability to connect with people in
the business, base and nonprofit communities.
During her time with the local United Way office, she has helped raise some $300,000 from federal
employees at China Lake and people in the Ridgecrest business community. Most of that money goes
directly to 28 member agencies offering services to the Indian Wells Valley, she said.
“I think United Way is really a lifeboat for some of our smaller nonprofits,” said Erwin. “There are some that
come to mind where I’m not sure if they would be able to offer all of their services without this funding.”
She said that beyond offering funding for those services, she has also been glad to get to know all the
services that work to better the quality of life for people in the Indian Wells Valley.
“One of the highlights this year was a Combined Federal Campaign breakfast, which we did for the first
time,” said Erwin. Key managers and other employees were invited to meet members of the agencies that
benefited from the China Lake employees’ contributions to United Way.
Gary Charlon and his crew of community volunteers cooked breakfast for the group, and residents who
have been helped by the members agencies of United Way came and shared their stories.
“It was just one of those moments when you saw the town of Ridgecrest come together with the base to
support the nonprofits,” said Erwin. “We were brought to tears, we laughed our heads off — it was an
emotional event that I will remember for a long time to come.”
United Way Board Vice President Linda Eberhart said that she will miss the energy and enthusiasm Erwin
brought to her role. “She jumped in with both feet and made a lot of progress for United Way. I will be sorry to
see her go. I think everybody will.”
“This was a very hard decision. I’m going to miss it a lot.” Erwin said she wished the best of luck to the local
nonprofits, some of which have struggled in the tough economy.
Although a permanent replacement has not been named, Kari Boisvert, who has been assisting in the local
office, will fill Erwin’s role on an interim basis.
“We’ve set up a Skype and webcams so I can help if ever she needs it,” said Erwin.
Boisvert said she originally came to United Way because of her degree in accounting. When Erwin’s
departure became imminent, Boisvert was trained to fill in for the time being. “We’ll see what happens after
that — both in what I decide and what the board decides.”
Boisvert moved here in 2001 from Norway. She is now married with 10 children — and four grandchildren —
between herself and her husband. “My children are all grown now. So I can spend as much time here as my
husband allows,” she joked.
She said so far her experience has been exciting, with each day presenting a different challenge.
And she looks forward to the experience, however long it lasts. “The training for the job is about managing
money. But if you bring to it the passion that Marla has — to go out and get noticed by the community, than this
job becomes what it is supposed to be.”
Ridgecrest. “I have loved it. I’ve been very active with my church [Immanuel Baptist] and with the [Ridgecrest]
Chamber of Commerce, and I have absolutely loved United Way.”
The job matched her passion for marketing and public relations with the ability to connect with people in
the business, base and nonprofit communities.
During her time with the local United Way office, she has helped raise some $300,000 from federal
employees at China Lake and people in the Ridgecrest business community. Most of that money goes
directly to 28 member agencies offering services to the Indian Wells Valley, she said.
“I think United Way is really a lifeboat for some of our smaller nonprofits,” said Erwin. “There are some that
come to mind where I’m not sure if they would be able to offer all of their services without this funding.”
She said that beyond offering funding for those services, she has also been glad to get to know all the
services that work to better the quality of life for people in the Indian Wells Valley.
“One of the highlights this year was a Combined Federal Campaign breakfast, which we did for the first
time,” said Erwin. Key managers and other employees were invited to meet members of the agencies that
benefited from the China Lake employees’ contributions to United Way.
Gary Charlon and his crew of community volunteers cooked breakfast for the group, and residents who
have been helped by the members agencies of United Way came and shared their stories.
“It was just one of those moments when you saw the town of Ridgecrest come together with the base to
support the nonprofits,” said Erwin. “We were brought to tears, we laughed our heads off — it was an
emotional event that I will remember for a long time to come.”
United Way Board Vice President Linda Eberhart said that she will miss the energy and enthusiasm Erwin
brought to her role. “She jumped in with both feet and made a lot of progress for United Way. I will be sorry to
see her go. I think everybody will.”
“This was a very hard decision. I’m going to miss it a lot.” Erwin said she wished the best of luck to the local
nonprofits, some of which have struggled in the tough economy.
Although a permanent replacement has not been named, Kari Boisvert, who has been assisting in the local
office, will fill Erwin’s role on an interim basis.
“We’ve set up a Skype and webcams so I can help if ever she needs it,” said Erwin.
Boisvert said she originally came to United Way because of her degree in accounting. When Erwin’s
departure became imminent, Boisvert was trained to fill in for the time being. “We’ll see what happens after
that — both in what I decide and what the board decides.”
Boisvert moved here in 2001 from Norway. She is now married with 10 children — and four grandchildren —
between herself and her husband. “My children are all grown now. So I can spend as much time here as my
husband allows,” she joked.
She said so far her experience has been exciting, with each day presenting a different challenge.
And she looks forward to the experience, however long it lasts. “The training for the job is about managing
money. But if you bring to it the passion that Marla has — to go out and get noticed by the community, than this
job becomes what it is supposed to be.”
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| Photo by Laura Austin |
The New Year has already ushered in
change for the Indian Wells Valley office
of United Way, as Kari Boisvert has been
named as interim director for departing
administrator Marla Erwin.
Last month Erwin confirmed that she
will be leaving the job — and the
community — that she loves to follow
her husband to a new position in San
Jose.
“We’re relocating the family so we can
all be together,” said Erwin, who
explained that she and her children —
14-year-old Amanda, 12-year-old
Andrew and 9-year-old twins Jason and
Justin — have been living in Ridgecrest
for six years while her husband has held
jobs outside of the city. “I just got tired of
him traveling, and this time we decided
to move up there with him.”
change for the Indian Wells Valley office
of United Way, as Kari Boisvert has been
named as interim director for departing
administrator Marla Erwin.
Last month Erwin confirmed that she
will be leaving the job — and the
community — that she loves to follow
her husband to a new position in San
Jose.
“We’re relocating the family so we can
all be together,” said Erwin, who
explained that she and her children —
14-year-old Amanda, 12-year-old
Andrew and 9-year-old twins Jason and
Justin — have been living in Ridgecrest
for six years while her husband has held
jobs outside of the city. “I just got tired of
him traveling, and this time we decided
to move up there with him.”