Second Harvest Column: Helpful Volunteers

By Lois Rockhill

You may have watched Oprah Winfrey’s “The Big Give” this past Sunday. Participants compete to come up with the most creative ways to take a given amount of money and other resources and multiply them before giving them away to help others.

Contestants applied a year ago to be on the show. They range in age from 22 to 43 years. They will face many challenges as they strive to outdo each other for the good of others. The idea is to change lives in five days with the help of a lot of money and, of course, Harpo Productions.

The commercials for the show are appealing. At least one reminds me of people right here in east central Indiana who are giving big and changing lives. Their stories inspire me. There are so many people practicing “The Big Give” spirit in our community that we would be hard pressed to choose only 10 as Oprah has.

“We Can Care” kicked off last week. The month-long Madison County food drive was started by Greg Graham, now Anderson’s chair of the Board of Works. Greg heard that pantry shelves were empty following the holidays and our neediest residents had to do without enough food. He responded to that need by inviting community leaders to back a countywide food drive. Years later, the drive has generated well over 600,000 pounds of food. Hungry people are being fed, and good citizens are finding this avenue open to their own big giving.

Jeanne Lee knows how to mobilize a community. She has been involved in Girl Scouts, Alternatives, the Madison County Community Foundation and now with Second Harvest Food Bank. She is reaching into all areas of our east central Indiana service area to pull together resources that will keep the food bank strong and functioning for many years to come. She is changing lives as she encourages people with resources to help insure that we will keep up the good work.

I think of Carol Trimmer with Indiana Public Radio and how she connected Second Harvest and IPR. Because she connected the dots, IPR listeners are reminded and challenged to give big – of themselves and of their resources to end hunger and feed hope.

Then there is Ginnette Tavzel, executive director of the United Way of Jay County, and Jenny Dennis, executive director of the United Fund of Henry County. Both women have taken the issue of hunger very seriously. They have worked to mobilize volunteers in their communities to help at Tailgate distributions. These are events where Second Harvest provides a truck load of food for a drive through distribution — a real boon to residents in need and a big help to supplement the on-going work of the local pantries.

Speaking of pantries, and we could easily add kitchens, shelters, child care programs and senior programs — our list of people who give big will grow tremendously as we count the women and men involved at each. Some are paid staff, most are volunteers. They work tirelessly to end hunger and feed hope. They network in their communities, mobilize and inspire big giving.

I have named only a few of the many people who are change agents in east central Indiana. I like to think of volunteers, advocates, food donors, service donors, fund donors and community activist who are all big givers here in our community. I hope Oprah’s “Big Give” will touch her viewers and inspire people who need a nudge to join the ranks of people who step up to make a difference.

We have wonderful models living and breathing among us. With Oprah to help spotlight big giving, I look forward to seeing the rolls swell. And remember, big is relative. Do your best to make a difference. Whether it is a can of food or a semi trailer load, a handful of pennies or a six-figure gift, someone will be better off because you gave as big as you could!

Lois Rockhill is Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Inc.

Technorati Tags: Local Anderson Carol Trimmer Community Groups Delaware County Family Ginnette Tavzel Greg Graham Jeanne Lee Jenny Dennis Lois Rockhill Madison County Muncie Opinion Oprah Winfrey Second Harvest Second Harvest Food Bank

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