Meet Steve: Our New Board President

Summer has flown by but we finally got the chance to catch-up with Steve McCoy, who took on the role of ASK Board President in July. Steve is no stranger to ASK and shares why he volunteers his time helping our kids and families. Pictured above, Steve smiles with ASK kid Berekley during the Kourageous Kids Party held on September 8, 2019.

I first became involved with ASK in the late 1990s after a friend who served on the board told me about it. I’d been looking for something meaningful to pull me out of the work bubble I was in as a young lawyer at a large firm.  I love practicing law but you do occasionally ask yourself “what good did I do today”?  I never ask myself that question after an ASK event.

Early in my initial tenure on the board, I came unprepared to a meeting and a fellow board member let me have it. After the meeting she came over, put her hands on both my shoulders, and said “This is important, you know?” Then she gave me a hug. I was struck by how maternal her approach was and then the penny dropped: she was an ASK mom. My inattention affected her family, however indirectly. I haven’t forgotten that. I saw her recently and she gave me another hug, so either I’m doing something right or I’m on my way out.   

At times, charity board service can feel removed from the day-to-day of the group you hope to serve. At ASK events, the person next to me is often a parent, friend of a patient, or patient him- or herself, and I can’t help learning a little more about life with cancer and the ways we might be able to make it just a bit better. 

The thing I love most about volunteering with ASK is the degree to which volunteers are able to roll their sleeves up and work alongside staff, families and patients.  I love the immediacy of service with ASK. It's also a real joy to work with so many thoughtful and dedicated people. The staff and volunteers at ASK are remarkable.