Some people are energized by learning new things. They tend to be curious, and want to learn more. What may happen next is a dive into a whole new world. Hamot Health Foundation donor Joyce Ravnikar-Kulyk is one of those people. Earlier in her life, she was donating to organizations and initiatives in the western portion of Erie County, where she lives.
In recent years, however, she shifted her focus to Erie’s bayfront and downtown areas, as she challenged herself to get out, make new routines, and learn new things. She started taking classes at the Erie County Community College and volunteering at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center and the Yahn Planetarium at Penn State Behrend. She’s met some of the people involved with the Erie Downtown Development Corporation, and through it all, she’s been invigorated by the “can-do spirit” in Erie.
Repurposing History for the Future
As she learned more about downtown and Erie’s east side, she started to follow the Wayne building project. Formerly Wayne School, the 100-year-old building was purchased by the Erie Center for Arts and Technology (ECAT) in 2019. ECAT is a nonprofit organization that offers free education for at-risk youth and adults in need of job training. Part of ECAT’s mission is to renovate the property into a multipurpose site benefiting the community. The building now houses Primary Health Network’s Wayne Primary Care; Darling’s Pharmacy; United Way of Erie County; UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot; a local peacekeeping initiative called Blue Coats; and ShanPull Sports, a training facility for youth and adult sports leagues.
“I love when old buildings are repurposed instead of being torn down, and this project was fascinating. It’s being used to provide different services. So, when I heard Hamot Health Foundation was a part of the project and learned about the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot, I was eager to help.”
Joyce Ravnikar-Kulyk
Joyce’s relationship with Hamot Health Foundation is somewhat unique because her philanthropy isn’t based on a medical interest or personal experience. In fact, she didn’t have any connections to the hospital before she began giving to the foundation. Her interest piqued when she donated to Erie Gives for a project to support a downtown neighborhood and learned that Hamot Health Foundation was supporting the same project with matching funds. Then she learned about HHF’s involvement with the nursing school in the Wayne building project, which she had also been following. She said, “I was hooked.”
An Inspiration for New Beginnings
What really moved Joyce to want to help the school was the nature of the students.
Many of these students are looking to make a career change to improve their lives and they’re going back to school as adults. They sometimes find it hard to make ends meet as a student, but they’re working hard and trying to make a difference — and that kind of commitment is inspiring.
Joyce started a scholarship named for Irene Sutliffe, RN, Hamot Hospital Association’s first nurse. She was the hospital’s first administrator as well as the only nurse, and she was of critical importance in the hospital’s success upon its founding in 1881. The foundation’s development officer, Nick Cianci, sent Joyce a video of the first recipient’s reaction to receiving the scholarship. “Her excitement made me laugh, it was wonderful.” It’s that kind of infectious joy that gives donors like Joyce an immense sense of satisfaction and pride.
Renee Yosten, RN, a recipient of the Irene Sutliffe Scholarship
Fulfilling High Expectations
Joyce’s sense of giving came from her parents. “They were always giving of their time and talents.” Her late husband, Mark Kulyk, was raised the same way, and they carried on these values as they raised their two sons. When asked why she gives, Joyce says, “To whom much is given, much is expected — that’s what I’ve always followed. I’ve been blessed and it’s my small way to be a part of the philanthropic efforts that benefit our community.”
Structures for Success
Joyce views the foundation as just that — a solid base that provides the structure for other projects to grow and succeed. Interestingly, she views the thought processes behind the projects more like a web, where one idea leads to another, is studied and mulled over to develop a solution or another fresh idea. This kind of thinking leads to the projects Joyce is drawn to — initiatives that seek not only to meet a need where it is, but then follow its evolution and determine what the next step will be.
For example, one of the foundation’s new initiatives for the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot is to help provide funding to students whose financial struggles are obstacles to their studies. “HHF doesn’t just become involved in starting new initiatives, they follow through with the evolution of the projects and make sure they thrive. They’re truly invested in the projects and that gives me confidence that my donation is making a difference.”
Matching Donor Interests
One of the ways Joyce feels valued is by being heard. She says, “The foundation isn’t just good at explaining initiatives, they’re also good at listening to both my areas of interest and my ideas.” “I want to be a part of the projects that improve lives and create better situations to help people be well. Too many people look at conditions affecting the community and say, ‘That’s just the way it is.’ But it doesn’t have to be. We can make changes for the better. Hamot Health Foundation does that and I want to be a part of it.”
