Monday, February 24, 2014

His name is Joe...

Exceptional: ex·cep·tion·al 
unusually good; outstanding.
synonyms:outstanding, extraordinary, remarkable, special, excellent, phenomenal, prodigious;
unequaled, unparalleled, unique, unsurpassed, peerless, matchless, nonpareil, first-rate, first-class;
informalA1, top-notch
"his exceptional ability"

A word I would use to describe all of our volunteers, but one I would like to pull out to use on our friend Joe today. My mother always told me growing up "Never judge a book by it's cover" and so I grew up taking that saying very seriously and never did. And because of that I have met some of the most wonderful and exceptional people in the world.

On Sunday, February 9 our friend Joe was featured in the News Journal asking people to help raise food donations. I was pleased to see a most worthy candidate for the job. 


I gave Joe a call and was able to sit down with him for a few minutes for a chat....


Cher:
Joe, when did you start volunteering with LCS?

Joe:
January 2012 at the Shiloh Baptist Mobile Unit in Wilmington helping unloading, organizing, and carrying orders to cars for folks.

Cher:
What got you volunteering with Shiloh?

Joe: At first I was there to get food from the program for my family, then Sandy your program coordinator asked me if I would start helping out, and I  said “Sure, I have no problem helping out.”  That got me started on wanting to help out the community. Eventually I started working at St. Stephen’s pantry and produce on Wednesdays in addition to Shiloh, and I was added as a sub on the substitute list. I just wanted to help any way I could.

Cher:
This must have kept you very busy, what motivated you to keep adding duties to your LCS resume?

Joe:
Because you won’t let me leave. You all love me too much!!

Cher:
(Laughing) This is true…  You are very reliable and every time we call you, you are here for us. Thank you! What are your future plans with LCS?

Joe: My plans are to stick it out with LCS until a better opportunity comes along, like a job.

Cher:
We sure hope you stick around, but we sure won’t be sad to see you go because of a job.

Joe: LCS is great place to be and everyone here is very friendly and you are good to me. If I need anything I just have to call and I am treated with respect.

Thank you Joe, for everything you do. You bring a lot to the table to LCS and we are very grateful. I ran across a poem from one of my favorite writers and I thought it fit here really nicely. It's by Tom Krause.

Through my troubles and my worries are sometimes all that I can see - still I always must remember life's not only about me. 
Other souls are also hurting and I know that it's God's plan 
to reach out to help another - to extend them my hand.
With this purpose as my focus - to be a comfort to a friend -
all my troubles and my worries seem to fade out in the end.
It is one of God's true lessons - how my walk is meant to be -
true happiness I find when life's not only about me.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who give tirelessly and selflessly each and every month and make our mission possible!

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