An era ends: a tribute to our Accountant & Treasurer for 12 years: Sara Conger

In 1998, I asked Sara where she would like to go for a high school graduation trip, and the rest of the story is Youthlinc history.

We went to Kenya that summer, connected with people in an underdeveloped country, and had our eyes opened to the abject poverty that exists in this world. Because Sara and her high school friends had volunteered with Salt Lake’s homeless for two years, we made connections between local and international service. The connection we made was the difference young people can make if they become relied upon volunteers. That was the seed of Youthlinc that has grown over the past 13 years to become the Service Year that has touched so many lives in Utah, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, Cambodia… and this year, Guatemala.

So I have – we all have -- a lot to thank Sara for. Not only was she critical to the idea of Youthlinc, she has been critical to its development as a financially stable, thriving, and eminently accountable non-profit organization.

If my daughter was not an accounting major in college, when Youthlinc began, I don’t know who would have done the books for the fledgling non-profit – and done them for free. If she had not gone on to become a CPA, and now a financial analyst, I don’t know who would have made sure we did things exactly the right way, so professionally. Now when we are turning over our books to an accounting firm, we get accolades for our record keeping system and financial accountability.

I am an ‘accidental’ non-profit manager. People who start a non-profit have no idea how much work they are getting themselves into. There is no question in my mind that Youthlinc would not have survived if Sara was not somehow fortuitously my daughter – right there—and willing to donate her time.

Youthlinc started with 20 participants. It’s grown slowly but steadily. We have more than 220 people participate in our Service Year now. We’ve added the Young Humanitarian Award, the Utah Local Service Directory, and the Real Life in SLC teen refugee mentoring program.

Sara’s life has grown steadily as well. She lives in Sacramento with her husband, Steve, and two daughters: Ruby who will be five, and Gwen who is 15 months old. She has a more than full time job as a financial analyst for Teichert, the largest and oldest commercial construction firm in northern California. Youthlinc is so close to her heart, but after 12 years as Treasurer and our accountant, she just can’t do a part-time job in addition to all of her responsibilities.

It’s a bittersweet parting of our professional lives for me. I’ve loved working with her. I can’t thank her enough for her patience, guidance, and incredible effort on behalf of the Organization we created together. But Youthlinc will always have her gifts to build on, and fortunately there are so many others now ready to put a shoulder to the wheel.

Sara, thank you, for your inimitable spirit, invaluable expertise, and herculean efforts that started and sustained the movement that is Youthlinc.

-- Judy Zone, Youthlinc Executive Director and very proud mother.

We are so proud of our Board Chair, David Baugh, who has been elected Partner at Tanner LLC.

David Baugh, Youthlinc Board Chair, has been elected as a new audit partner at Tanner LLC.

Dave has over 15 years of experience in public accounting including 5 years with an international CPA firm.  In addition to his public accounting experience, Dave has 6 years hands-on experience serving as the controller and treasurer of private corporations.  Dave has served companies in various industries including manufacturing, software development, banking, retail, wholesale distributors, mining, medical products, technology, transportation, public utilities, financial institutions, natural resources, not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, school districts, and employee benefit plans. 

Dave graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah State University with a Masters degree in accounting, an emphasis in accounting information systems and a minor in business administration.  Dave is actively involved in the community and in various organizations. He is a Rotarian, past president of the Northern Utah Chapter of the UACPA, has served on various UACPA committees, is a graduate of the Salt Lake Chamber’s Leadership Utah, and is the Board Chair for Youthlinc, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating lifetime humanitarians.  Dave and his wife Linda have four children and live in Bountiful.

As a Board member, Dave was Chair of our Audit and Compensation Committee. As such, Dave has been instrumental in assuring internal controls procedures for our organization, strategic planning, financial stability, and accountability to our donors. He and his daughter, Madison, traveled with Youthlinc to Peru in 2007.

Our Governing Board inspires us with their reflections on what we do for others

There are a lot of areas in which Youthlinc excels, and one of them has always been our incredibly dedicated Board members. This past Saturday, at our Year End Board meeting, we accomplished a lot to point the Organization in the right direction for our ‘Lucky 13^th’ year in operation.

In addition to all the financial oversight and strategic planning a Board must do, this meeting we also participated in a reflection exercise on the Organization, its mission and its meaning.

The responses of our Board to the questions posed, and the discussion that followed, was so meaningful, we thought to share some highlights with all our Youthlinc family.

We hope as you read these responses, you will be lifted up as we have been by the great heart, spirit, and vision of those who serve on our Board. Much thanks Board Chair David Baugh, Vice Chair Kathleen Dibble, Treasurer Val Petersen, Secretary Judy Zone, and our Officers: Steve Barth, Jason Collier, Scott Leckman, Derick Loyola, John Oglesby, Jody Osteyee, Kimber Parry, Paul Stringham, David Wintzer.

We want to give a special thanks to Sara Conger, who has served as our Board Treasurer and accountant for the past twelve years. It’s a point of fact that Youthlinc would not be what it is today without her guidance and hard work. We love you, Sara. Your influence on this Organization is a permanent gift.

 

Now, here are our Board members’ written responses to some thought provoking questions about the vision and inspiration of our Organization, and how we can express that meaning to others.

What is the vision of Youthlinc:

·       To create lifelong humanitarians through local and international service opportunities

·       To broaden our circle of friendships throughout the world through service

·       Empower youth with the experience of service and promoting leadership experience

·       Opportunity to touch the world and give back just a little

·       Expanding the vision of joy through service both locally and internationally

What inspires you about Youthlinc:

·       The transformation of individuals who participate in the Service Year—great young people add a depth to their commitment to service and gain a perspective that truly changes their lives.

·       The connection it builds with young people and the fire it lights in them to give back to the world.

·       The ability of the program to inspire and open the eyes of youth to the world of service.

·       The ability for a program to inspire people to recognize the value service can provide both the individual doing service and those in the community being served.

·       The impact on individuals lives when service enters their hearts.

What is your ‘elevator speech’ about Youthlinc:

·       Through doing local community service, young people earn a partial sponsorship of their expenses to do international service.  They find themselves, their responsibility to improve their world, and a true joy in service.  I am a part of it because I want to see more celebration of the good in the world, to harness the energy, optimism and commitment of young people to that end.

·       Taking young driven and motivated high school and college student and putting them in a position to better their local communities as well as make a change for a handful of people around the world…after all it is the students who are changed more than anyone.  It truly is a life impacting journey we instill in individuals.

·       The hook that really connected me was when my 16 year old daughter said “I used to think that my house was pretty mediocre.  Now I know that we live in a mansion.”  Because it is such a wonderful program that changes lives, a dollar donated to Youthlinc results in multiple hours of service.

·       Instilling humanitarian characteristics into youth that will carry through for a lifetime.

·       This is a program that will change your life in ways you would have never expected.

·       Youthlinc is an organization that changes people lives—the students and mentors who volunteer locally and internationally, the villagers in the country, the local organization that students volunteer at—all are forever changed for the better.

·       Youthlinc’s vision to share a passion for serving both locally and around the world especially with young people is something that makes me hopeful for creating a better world.  Our opportunity to share tears and lives beauty on multiple continents has changed my life.

·       It’s an amazing service opportunity at home and abroad where kids come back a totally changed person.  They realize what’s important in their lives and what they can individually do to improve the world.