Le Sueur Profiles 2013

PROFILESCelebrating�Volunteers: Our�Community's�Strength

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LE SUEUR PROFILES Thursday, August 22, 2013

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By ERIN O’[email protected]

Every town has businesses, schools, churches and clinics that help support residents and provide them with access to basic services necessary for daily life. While these institutions are all very important, volunteers make the difference between a tight-knit community and just another settlement of in-dividuals.

Willing to step in and help oth-ers without incentives of personal gain, volunteers are the glue that binds people together and the true pillars of any community. The vol-unteers in Le Sueur are no differ-ent.

Take Sharon Pinney. She start-ed volunteering with the Le Sueur Food Shelf more than 25 years ago and has yet to stop giving her time, energy and compassion to neigh-bors in need.

Q: How and why did you get involved with the Le Sueur Food Shelf?

A: My church asked me to be the food shelf representative for the Presbyterian Church in 1986. I was raised in a farm family and saw my mother and father sharing produce, beef, pork and game with people in need in our neighbor-hood. The appreciation of food shared graciously had an impact on my desire to volunteer in many ways within and also outside of our community.

Sharon Pinney dedicates decades to Le Sueur Food Shelf

As part of her volunteer work at the Le Sueur Food Shelf, Sharon Pinney helps � ll orders for hungry neighbors in the community. (Submitted photo)

HELP FOR THE HUNGRY

See HUNGRY on 3

Thursday, August 22, 2013 LE SUEUR PROFILES PAGE 3

Sharon Pinney (far left) has been the food shelf representative for the Presbyterian Church of Le Sueur for more than 25 years. (Submitted photo)

GET INVOLVEDThe Le Sueur Food Shelf receives

generous support from the people and business in Le Sueur. The food shelf is sta� ed by rotating volunteers from each church in Le Sueur, so every church has a representative to sta� their designated month.

For those not a� liated with a church in town, contact Ed Nugent, the chairman of the food shelf, at 507-665-6393 to learn more about getting involved.

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Thank you to ALL the Volunteers in our Community!

LE SUEUR PROFILESA special project of the Le Center Leader62 E. Minnesota St., Le Center, MN 56057

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Q: What do you do for the Le Sueur Food Shelf?

A: � ere are numerous ways to help at the food shelf. Filling orders for our hungry neighbors is the more commonly seen role. As secretary, I take minutes and send out more than 100 thank you notes every year to donors and to others who help in many di� erent ways. I also collect our donations at church and bring them to the food shelf. Serving on the advisory board of Hun-ger Solutions Minnesota gave me a real perspective into the state and federal government’s commitment to support the food shelf through farm bill legisla-tion. Attending occasional area food shelf meetings gives us the chance to share ideas with oth-er food shelves. With the high number of free and reduced lunches in our school program, I have made up summer snack bags to provide extra food dur-ing the summer for children not getting the special help that is available during the school year. Cereals, shelf stable milk, fruits, vegetables and protein products are passed out to each families’ school children during the sum-mer months.

Q: How have you bene� tted from volunteering?

A: It is such a blessing to be able to volunteer and give time and resources to those in need. � e satisfaction that I feel tells me that this is what I am called to do. I have heard people say that they have been inspired by what I do and I like to see people � nd that special path that gives them joy in how they choose to serve and give.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is consider-ing volunteering their time?

A: Finding a passion for your time and resources that you give is great, but sometimes it is small, mundane things that are equally satisfying. I can remember my dad sending me to dig a can of night-crawlers for a man that � shed to feed his family. He couldn’t a� ord to buy them from farms that sold them near the lake. My dad sent me to give them because he knew a kid wouldn’t be turned down. � at small, small gi� was as tear-fully and graciously received as any big gi� I have given. No gi� is too small and that gi� can bring the greatest joy to someone’s spir-its.

Reach reporter Erin O’Neill at 931-8576, or follow her on Twit-ter.com @LNHeoneill.

Hungry: Filling orders, thanking donors, collecting donations a few of Pinney’s duties at shelf

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By PAT [email protected]

Le Sueur Lion Shirley Hespenheide started out as a reluctant speaker for Leader Dogs for the Blind. She’s been speaking for the program for 12 years and still going strong.

She started out as 5M2 Lions District co-chairperson of Leader Dogs for the Blind and became state chairperson in July.

“I went into this blinded; but, over 12 years, it’s become my pas-sion,” Hespenheide said.

It’s costly to raise and train leader dogs, but through donations, 14,000 visually impaired people in the world have graduated with their dogs.

How and why did you get involved with the Leader Dogs for the Blind?

When I retired in March of 1995, a� er working for Green Giant/Pillsbury for 23 years, I needed something to do. Since my husband, who was a

member of the Le Sueur Lions, asked me if I would join, I decided it would be good � t.

In 2001, 5M2 Lions District Governor Elvera Tret-tin asked if I would be interested in speaking about Leader Dogs for the Blind. A� er doing some research,

I thought ‘why not?’ It is a very good cause.

Describe what you do for Leader Dogs for the Blind?

Co-chairperson Joan Blank of Nicollet and I have been speak-ing about the Leader Dogs for the Blind Program ever since. The region that I spoke in was from approximately Hutchinson angling down to North� eld and

from there down to the Iowa border.Starting on July 1, I have taken a position as

Leader Dog Chairperson for the state of Minnesota who will help train fellow Lions to take over the position I had previously held.

Elaine and Jim Tohal of Le Sueur have trained three Labrador puppies, including 8-month-old Emma, for Leader Dogs for the Blind. Le Sueur Lion Shirley Hespenheide (right) serves as the state chairperson for Leader Dogs for the Blind. The Tohals get the puppies at 8 weeks old, housebreak them, care for them and teach them basic obedience for a year how to sit, stay, come, heel, socialize and not be afraid of loud noises. They then are sent to formal guide dog training for four months and matched with a blind person. (Pat Beck/St. Peter Herald)

HOW TO GET INVOLVEDLeader Dogs for the Blind1039 S. Rochester Road, Rochester, MI 48307-3115Phone: (888) 777-5332E-mail: www.leaderdog.org

Leading the LeadersLe Sueur Lion passionate about organization

that pairs dogs with the visually impaired

See LEADER on 5


Le Sueur Lion Shirley Hespenheide (right) picks up Lion Pauline Ulrey from Indiana and her her dog Gundy (8th dog) from the airport for the Lions Convention in Mankato. She has had Leader Dogs for 50 years. (Submitted photo)

Lions Joan Blank (left) from Nicollet and Shirley Hespenheide, co-chairpersons for Leader Dogs, stand in front of a banner about Growing the Dream at the school in Rochester Hills, Mich. (Submitted photo)

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By my informing people about the program, there is money that has been raised and this allows a visually impaired person to go the school at no cost to them. � e cost of raising and training a leader dog is about $38,000 for each dog, but through dona-tions, the cost to the recipient is nothing, not even cost of airfare.

� is organization, established in 1939, is in Rochester Hills, Mich., and was started in 1939 by three Lions who were trying to help a friend who was visually impaired. � ey could not � nd a school at that time that could help. � ey looked around and found 16 acres of land for the cost of $50 per month with a farm house and some out buildings where the dogs could stay.

Since that time, there have been 14,000 visually impaired people graduating with their dogs. Visu-ally impaired from all over the world come there to be trained with a leader dog.

How have you bene� ted from volunteering?In doing this, I have gotten over my fear of

speaking before a group of people, met some very interesting people and know that three people in my district have bene� ted by each receiving a leader dog.

I also volunteer at the Snack Bar at the Nurs-ing Home in Le Sueur, do Meals on Wheels, am treasurer for my town home association, treasurer/secretary to the Ladies Nite Out Bowling League and secretary for the Le Sueur Lions. I also enjoy bowling, reading and traveling.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering volunteering their time?

Be sure to become involved in something that you are interested in. Do a little research about the organization and when you start be sure to give it your all, but have fun doing it.

Reach Sports Editor Pat Beck at 931-8566, or follow him on Twitter.com @SPHSportsPat

Leader: Organization established in 1939 by Lions trying to help visually impaired friendFrom Page 4


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By ERIN O’[email protected]

From helping with blood drives to encourag-ing kids to be chemical-free to serving as a town ambassador as the newest Le Sueur Princess, Taylor Edberg is always on the move, giving her time to help and serve others.

As a member of the TARGET program at the high school — which promotes volunteering and a chemical-free lifestyle for teens — Edberg has led by example, encouraging classmates to get involved with volunteer opportunities and making a big im-pact with her own projects and endeavors.

Q: How and why did you get involved with the TARGET program?

A: I got involved in the TARGET program my sophomore year in high school a� er being ap-proached by many upperclassmen about joining. I felt that TARGET provided me with a great support system of people with the same morals as myself — to be chemical-free and to volunteer. I joined knowing that I would � nd a safe place to express myself and that I could make a di� erence in some-one else’s life, as well.

Q: What do you do for the TARGET program?A: TARGET provides an opportunity to go

out into the school and community and give back in anyway you can think of. One of the main pro-grams we o� er is a blood drive in both the spring and the fall. As one of the o� cers this year, my re-sponsibility was to organize, promote and provide an opportunity to donate blood to the blood drive. Noah Hynes-Marquette and I met with representa-tives from the American Red Cross and used their heart-wrenching facts to encourage students to donate. We promoted the blood drives a month in

advance by decorating windows and posting � iers throughout the school. � en TARGET members took turns signing students up to give blood in the weeks leading up to the drive. On the day of the blood drive we asked community volunteers to be supervisors for the day and then had TARGET members work shi� s at the sign-in and set-up/take-down. I was involved in organizing a total of three di� erent blood drives throughout my high school career and at each one I was told I could not donate myself. I really encourage everyone to donate blood as it provides thousands of victims with the gi� of life.

Q: How have you bene� ted from volunteering?A: I volunteer in other aspects of the school

and community, in addition to TARGET, and let me just say that it has shaped the person I have become. When you have the chance to help some-one or an organization your heart � lls with joy. You get reminded constantly of how precious life is and how easily life can change. Volunteering to me is not providing for the needy but simply help-ing out friends, old and new. Le Sueur-Henderson is a small district and part of our responsibility in this community is to look out for others because one day they will look out for you, too.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is considering volunteering their time?

A: To anyone who wants to volunteer, I say ‘go for it!’ � ere is no other life experience like it. � e way it impacts your life and makes you live for a better tomorrow is truly life changing. All you have to do is give a little of your time or a simple smile to over� ow your heart.

Reach reporter Erin O’Neill at 931-8576, or follow her on Twitter.com @LNHeoneill.

Taylor Edberg was awarded a red cord from the American Red Cross for volunteering to help with three di� erent blood drives, as a member of the TARGET program. (Photo courtesy of Taylor Edberg)

GET INVOLVEDTo get involved with the TARGET program contact Sue Hynes

at Le Sueur-Henderson High School by calling 507-665-5882. Also, if you have a volunteer opportunity for the TARGET members, please let Sue know!

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By JESSICA [email protected]

One of two Le Sueur Ro-tary members that have helped spearhead a backpack program for Park and Hilltop Elementary students that don’t have enough to eat, Angie Deegan is passionate about putting an end to childhood hunger.

Volunteering her time to pack bags with with breakfast, lunch and snack items for students to take home over the weekends, she is reaching out to area students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals, as well as other families who may be in a crisis or an emergency situation.

And others can do the same, she said.

Deegan, who not only helps coordinate the backpack pro-gram, but serves on the Rotary’s International Committee and helps fund-raise for the group, says it’s easy to volunteer in Le Sueur.

Here’s how she got into volunteering and how she says others can too.

How and why did you get involved with the Le Sueur Rotary?

During the 2008-09 school year my family hosted a Rotary Exchange Student from Lithu-ania. During this time I had the opportunity to meet many Rotar-ians and had several friends that were already members. I really connected with their mission: �e mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill

and peace through its fellowship of business, professional and com-munity leaders.

Describe what you do for the Rotary.

For the past three years I have served on the International Committee; this committee help students who want to participate in the International Exchange Program, both incoming and outgoing…I have also helped with the Rotary rose sale that takes place in October, the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, Rotary Bingo in the park during Giant Days and will be promot-ing the Rotary peach sale in the next couple weeks.

All of the money earned from these fundraisers help sup-port the exchange students, the backpack program, donations to the food shelf and other com-munity requests

Last but not least, the Back-pack Program has been a very special project coordinated by me and Ann Porter. This pro-gram served 76 children last school year in kindergarten to fifth grade at Park and Hilltop Elementary schools by provid-ing a backpack filled with food items that could be easily pre-pared by a child and would help sustain them through a week-end.

…We emphasize that this program does not require any proof of financial need and if a family needs this type of as-sistance they should contact the child’s teacher or school princi-pal. We are expecting to serve approximately 100 children in the 2013-14 school year

How have you bene�ted from volunteering?

Volunteering fulfills a very deep desire to help people in many walks of life. I am espe-cially passionate about helping to improve the lives of children and would love to see an end to child-hood hunger.

As a child I watched my mom take care of the neighborhood; old people, college students, babies and kids. To this day she con-tinues to take care of a mentally handicapped man that was aban-

doned by his family as a young man. She has been his caregiver on a completely volunteer basis for nearly 30 years.

As a volunteer it’s important for me to only look at what I can give, not what I can get from vol-unteering; but the truth is, I really do get so much emotionally from volunteering.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering volunteering their time?

Find an organization whose mission you can relate to and �nd

out how to get involved. Every service club in every community is looking for new members, ev-ery person brings unique talents to those organizations. If a club doesn’t interest you, decide what age of people you would like to help or perhaps it’s a particular cause you’d like to promote. �ere are hundreds of opportunities for every age, gender and ability.

Reach reporter Jessica Bies at 507-931-8568 or follow her on Twitter.com @sphjessicabies

Angie Deegan and the Le Sueur Rotary donate food to students in need

Angie Deegan helped sort food for the Le Sueur Rotary’s backpack program. She is one of two Rotarians to spearhead the new program. (File photo)

GET INVOLVEDWant to get involved in the

Le Sueur Rotary?Call Executive Secretary Julie

Boyland at (507) 665-2501.Want to volunteer for the

Le Sueur Rotary Backpack Program?

The group will be packing on Thursday evening at 6 p.m. throughout the 2013-14 school year. Send emails to [email protected] for more information.

WHAT GOES

AROUND


CHARACTER COUNTS

•Trustworthiness • Respect • Responsibility • Fairness

• Caring • Citizenship

Thank you to all the volunteers who donate their time to

Le Sueur-Henderson Public Schools! You all

have Giant Pride & Character that counts.

GIANTPRIDE

ositiveespect

ntegrityeterminationxcellence

www.isd2397.org | Like Us On Facebook

- Left side text - change "our school district" to Le Sueur-Henderson Pub-lic Schools- Vertically center the word "GIANT" in Giant Pride- "Pillars of Character" - make the text regular, not italic- Underneath Pillars of Character, add "Everyday, We Practice Six Traits of Character"- Fairness needs a bullet point in front

Everyday, We Practice Six Traits of Character

Local man devotes energy to activities for kids

Jo Anderson and his class

of geocachers show o� their

� nd. (Photo Courtesy of

Youth Oppor-tunities)

By JAMES [email protected]

Jo Anderson has dedicated his life to helping others, whether it is curing wounds and helping the sick, or taking a group of kids out to � nd hidden treasures.

Anderson moved to Le Sueur in 1961 to join a family practice as a doctor. Since then he has been involved in the community in many ways, including volunteering in many activities.

“I don’t think of volunteering as a unique activity,” said Anderson. “In small communities it’s just what you do to keep up with friends.”

Now 84, Anderson’s latest venture is geocaching, a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Anderson takes a group

of kids out to places like St. Peter, Belle Plain, and Le Sueur to search for hidden treasures marked on their GPS.

“It’s amazing to see theses kids’ faces,” said Anderson. “� ey pile out of the bus and hold their GPS out in front of them.”

When they � nd the treasure, they can look it up online to see the history of the object. � e kids will also hide some of their treasure for others to � nd.

On occasion, they will come across a travel bug, which can lead to some problem solving and unique adventures. � ey once came across a cache that had an animal skull in it. � ey had to � nd a place for it and the next place they went was the geocaching heaven in St. Peter. � e heaven they were looking for was just behind the pearly gates.

� ey searched just behind the pearly gates and found a container, a container that was a perfect � t for the skull.

“It was very � tting that we found a container just big enough to � t the skull,” said Anderson.

How and why did you get involved with the Youth Opportunities?About nine years ago, a long time friend of mine knew I was interested in

geocaching and asked if I would be interested in sharing that with the kids in Healthy Communities — which soon morphed into Youth Opportunities. A� er a couple of years of teaching geocaching I was asked by the late Dr.

Milton Mootz to serve on its Board of Directors.Describe what you do for Youth OpportunitiesIn addition to teaching a couple of classes of geocaching I have had

classes in kite building and � ying, macrame, origami. � e Board of Direc-tors meets once a month and I have been secretary and past president.

How have you bene� ted from volunteering?Whenever I volunteer for anything I feel strongly it should be something

I can do and share with others. I “help” things happen in my community. Of course there is always the satisfaction of compliments and “thank you,” as well as new friendships.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering volun-teering their time?

• Pick something you enjoy or didn’t feel you had time to do before.• Talk to others who are also volunteers.• Do not become so involved you cannot do other things with your

family, etc.• Get actively involved — don’t think you are volunteering just by sup-

porting the activity with money.Reporter James Stitt can be reached at 931-8572 or follow him on Twitter

@LCL_j_stitt.

TREASURES

GET INVOLVEDYouth Opportunities is located in the Le Sueur Community Center, 821 East Ferry St.Contact it at 507-665-6264 or at [email protected].

Le Sueur Profiles 2013

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