Outstanding in Oakville: Marea Kluth-Hoppe

Soon after Marea Kluth-Hoppe’s career in the corporate world ended  in 1985 due to a business closure, she embarked upon a new career, being a mom. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Kluth-Hoppe enrolled her family, including daughter Carla, in the Mehlville School District’s Parents as Teachers program. She joined their Mothers’ Club and began actively supporting the program that offered assistance to families of the youngest of the district’s members.

“I volunteered for Parents as Teachers and was heavily involved with their fundraising activities," Kluth-Hoppe said. "A team of three of us organized the Easter Egg Hunt for several years. One year we even had the Easter Bunny arrive by helicopter. It was our biggest fundraiser of the year."

As her daughter moved on to Bierbaum Elementary School for grades kindergarten through six, Kluth-Hoppe moved her volunteer assignments accordingly. At Bierbaum, she joined the Mothers’ Club and the P.T.O. where she donated her time and services freely.

“At Bierbaum, I was a room parent. That meant that I helped with classroom parties, went on field trips and had variety of other duties,” she said. “I was even in charge of the hallway bulletin boards for awhile.”

Since she had a knack for fundraising, she was involved with many projects at Bierbaum.

The volunteers organized a Make It and Take It night for parents who were crafty and a Mystery Dinner.

"We raised enough to give each teacher $100 for extra classroom supplies and projects,” Kluth-Hoppe said.

They also created a "book room," which they staffed and equipped. That gave them the capability to laminate and bind student-made books. Later, they organized and assembled Bierbaum cookbooks, which were sold.

“Much of the work of school volunteers is to show the children the importance of their their work, their learning and their academic achievements," she said.

For seventh and eighth grades, Carla went to Margaret Buerkle School, and Kluth-Hoppe moved her volunteering efforts to the new school. She joined the Buerkle P.T.O. and became a band parent.

“As a band parent, I was able to help with more field trips and, of course, plenty of fundraising for trips and competitions,” Kluth-Hoppe said.

The high school years arrived and Carla attended Mehlville High School. By now, Kluth-Hoppe’s value as a volunteer was well known throughout the district schools and community. At the high school level, she joined the Mothers’ Club, which focused their efforts on planning and financing the safe party following the graduation ceremonies. As a band parent, she did a good deal of fundraising, including a stint at the concessions stand at Busch Stadium on a busy opening day.

Carla graduated from high school, and you might think that Kluth-Hoppe would retire from her school volunteer jobs, but she did not. Elected to the Mehlville School Board, she served from 2002-2005.

Parallel to daughter Carla’s school career, spanning first through grade eight, Kluth-Hoppe also was a Girl Scout leader. She continues to work for the Girl Scouts as the District 1 treasurer.

“When the Girl Scouts hold neighborhood events, I help. We usually have 100-300 girls participating in each event,” Kluth-Hoppe said.

In 2005, Kluth-Hoppe joined the Mehlville/ Oakville Foundation, a non-profit group organized to “promote and sponsor educational activities not included in the Mehlville School District budget.”

The Oakville/ Mehlville Foundation provides money for tutoring, mini-grants to classroom teachers for special projects, scholarships for graduating seniors, and shares fundraising money with each participating school.

Currently, Kluth-Hoppe is gearing up for the foundation’s annual Walk-Run, that will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, in Jefferson Barracks County Park. Kluth-Hoppe has been co-chairing this event for the last six years.

“Right now we are sending out letters to community organizations and businesses that might want to be sponsors of the Walk-Run,” she said. “We usually have over 1,000 people taking part in the race. Registration can now be done online as well as in person or by mail.”

In late fall, the foundation will be selling Money Saver cards that offer discounts at local businesses.

“Everyone benefits from these. The buyers get the discounts, the merchants get the business, the schools selling the cards get money for each card sold and the Mehlville/ Oakville Foundation gets the rest, which they in turn give back to the district schools,” Kluth-Hoppe said.

There is no indication that Kluth-Hoppe will be slowing down or cutting back on her volunteering anytime soon. She is dedicated to the district schools and the youth of the community, and so she keeps giving back.