Guest blog: Moving to Omaha
This blog is guest written by Erica A Zettle, MPA
In July 2018, my very pregnant daughter and son-in-law had moved to Omaha so he could take a job at Mutual of Omaha in the actuarial department. A couple of months later, I arrived in Omaha to meet my beautiful granddaughter. At the time, I was living and working in Michigan and preparing to make a move to Gainesville, Florida.
My time in Omaha was brief but memorable as I bonded with my new granddaughter and saw a couple of the local attractions; Hollywood Candy, The Bob Kerrey Bridge, and Kenefick Park. I returned to Michigan with a handful of memories and a longing in my heart as I continued preparations for the move to Gainesville. However, my daughter had something else in mind.
Given that she was in a new city with a new baby and her husband had a demanding job, she decided that five days with me was not enough. She wanted me to change my plans and relocate to Omaha instead. She launched into a relentless campaign to change my mind, and within a few days, I had committed to making Omaha my home.
By the end of February 2019, I had packed my minivan with my most important belongings, placed the rest into storage, and made my way to Omaha. The first couple weeks in Omaha we spent spending time with the family and getting comfortable in my daughter’s guest room, but eventually, I was ready to get out and explore the city.
While I was out exploring, I made my way to Westroads Mall to check out the Flagship Commons Food Court. As I made my way into the mall and up the escalator, I spotted several tables set up around the perimeter of the food court in the community gathering space. My interest piqued, I decided to check it out as I thought it might be a hiring event or some type of promotion.
As I approached the main table in the room, I learned that it was a volunteer recruitment event sponsored by SHARE Omaha. Representatives from SHARE Omaha as well as those from several nonprofit organizations were on-hand to recruit volunteers and provide information about the work they do. What better way to immerse yourself in the community than volunteering with local nonprofits. This was serendipity.
As I spoke to several nonprofit leaders, I learned about issues impacting the community and opportunities to be involved and become a member of the Omaha Community. I immediately and enthusiastically signed-up to volunteer with several organizations. Though the pandemic limited volunteer opportunities the following year, my exposure to the nonprofit community through SHARE Omaha really helped make Omaha my home.
Three years later, I am the Manager of Operations and Administration for The Set Me Free Project, a local nonprofit with a focus on human trafficking prevention education. My family has moved back to Michigan, but I remain. I am part of the community and Omaha is my home.