As a business owner, painter, husband and father, my time is as limited as the next person. My wife and I feel giving to our community creates value in the lives of others. We’ve donated clothes to shelters, purchased Christmas presents for the under-privileged children, and rescued pets from shelters. Seven of our children are adopted so giving comes as a natural expression.

When I joined the Rotary, six years ago, the opportunity to impact the community increased. Volunteering my professional skills has helped beautify our community. I’ve painted, built garden boxes at my children’s elementary school, used industrial sized tools to clear gravestones to maintain our Historic Cemetery. On each project, I take my children to help. They learn compassion, experience the value of helping, and spend quality time with their dad on a Saturday. My wife provides me with the support, and many of the ideas for the projects.

It is simple, someone ask you to help and you say yes. Next, you ask businesses to donate materials and encourage people to come along and help. The experience enriches us more than we could ever imagine and it becomes contagious. Volunteer once, the word spreads, and the next you know someone will say to you “you work with our community, how can I…”