Volunteer Spotlight: Habitat for Humanity’s “Frame Up on the Square”
Madison’s Capitol Square is usually a bustling place, filled with cars, suits, cyclists, and farm stands with fresh produce. On a rainy day in late June, however, the square was filled with something else entirely: stacks of lumber, ringing hammers, and nearly a dozen Dairyland employees ready to get to work.
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Habitat for Humanity, a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing homeownership, closed down a portion of the square for their “Frame Up on the Square” event. These volunteer-supported events bring community members together to build houses for families who would not otherwise be able to afford them. Dairyland has partnered with Habitat for many years and was honored to work alongside the Habitat crews once again to “frame up” walls for Habitat homes in the Madison area.
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This experience showed me how much we can achieve when we work together. I feel blessed to have made a direct difference in someone’s life today, and I am so thankful my company supports and sponsors such a life-changing mission. — Govind
Despite many of us not having any construction experience, we donned hard hats and safety glasses and got to work. The Habitat crews helped us learn the basic skills so that even the most unwieldy hammer found its nails in the end, and ensured that all finished frames were safe and sturdy for final construction. As a parting gift, we each signed our names on the frames and wrote good-luck messages to the families who would one day make these houses their homes.
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Habitat’s work creates ripples of impact far beyond building houses. They help create stability, opportunity, and a stronger foundation for families across our community. We’re grateful for the chance to join Habitat, along with many other dedicated community partners, in supporting this important mission. — Amy
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The walls we helped build are destined for the Owl Creek neighborhood, where the city of Madison has set aside space for Habitat’s affordable housing. Dairyland’s “Business as a Force for Good” inspires us daily to make a positive change in the lives of others, and it’s events like these that drive home the importance of caring for our community members—one nail at a time.
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Dairyland Family Picnic 2026:
Growing The Tradition
On an unseasonably cold day at the end of June, Dairyland employees from across the country gathered for our annual Dairyland Family Picnic, a day spent in community and celebration. This year, the event featured a catered barbecue lunch, lawn games, family activities, and time to deepen connections with coworkers and friends outside of the office.
I really enjoyed my first company picnic. The event gave me (and my family) a chance to experience the positive and inclusive culture of the company, which made me even more excited to be part of the team. — Mallory Blazer
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With over 100 people in attendance, this year’s Picnic ended up being the largest in our 43-year history. This increase in size meant that the yard outside of our Stoughton office was simply too small to host everyone—the best kind of problem to have! Instead, we gathered at Nordic Ridge Park in Stoughton, a nearby park where Dairyland could take advantage of the open green space, splash pad, and covered structure.
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The picnic provides a place for everyone, from all areas and ages, to gather, to laugh, to share a meal, and remember the joy of doing life together. — Cheyanne Tachick
The weather may have been cold, but it certainly didn’t bring Dairyland down! The kids lost no time in getting to the splash pad and the bouncy house while adults pulled jackets, hats, and even blankets from their cars to ensure everyone was properly bundled up against the surprisingly frigid June wind. We also learned it’s never too cold for ice cream, as the ice cream truck that stopped by had no shortage of visitors.
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Dairyland also took this opportunity to host a donation drive for START, a Stoughton-based organization that provides “case management, financial assistance, and basic needs support to help individuals and families navigate challenges and build stability.” Dairyland employees collected household essentials for folks in need of community support and brought them to the picnic for delivery to START.
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We wrapped up the day with crafts and cornhole before sending folks on their way with bags of leftovers and kids ready for naptime. It was the perfect way to celebrate a season of growth, and a reminder that Living Engaged is about more than just intentionality in the workplace—it’s also about slowing down, having fun, and spending time where it matters most.
Dairyland Volunteer Week — April 20-24, 2026
Dairyland strives to use Business as a Force for Good every day, and in keeping with this spirit of intentionality, we choose one week per year to carve time out of our schedules and mobilize in service to our communities.
2026 marks the 6th installment of Volunteer Week, and it was the best year yet! Thank you to all the employees, partners, friends, and families who organized and attended events to address issues of housing insecurity, hunger, inaccessibility, and more.
Below are some of the highlights from Volunteer Week, and the Dairyland “Spirit Week” that brings unique joy and enthusiasm to each day.
Volunteer Event 1: Camp Daniel
Dairyland continued its partnership with Camp Daniel this year by helping with construction and infrastructure, landscaping, and cabin deep-cleaning. Camp Daniel offers summer camp experiences and year-round community support to people with disabilities and their families. Dairyland has partnered with Camp Daniel for the last 6 years and is deeply grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside this organization.
I really enjoy volunteering at Camp Daniel. There [are] a wide variety of things they give us to do, anything from cleaning to maintenance and repairs… My favorite is Carnival Days when campers are present, [and] seeing the joy and enthusiasm on their faces. It is a remarkably well run camp that makes a positive lasting impact on their campers lives and it has been a nice opportunity to be part of something so special. — Sherry A Kostreva
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Monday’s Spirit Week Theme: “Dairyland Spirit Day”
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Volunteer Event 2: Second Harvest
Several groups from the Stoughton office, alongside Dairyland partners The20, The Employer Group, and Alliant Energy, volunteered at Second Harvest to sort and process donations for food pantries in Dane County. As the largest food bank in Southern Wisconsin, Second Harvest provides thousands of households with much-needed relief to alleviate the impacts of food insecurity.
It was most meaningful to become aware of the realities of our community. Never would I have thought the local counties in Wisconsin would require 1000s of bags of food. Though the actual work felt meaningful, it was the mentality shift for gratitude for what we have and the desire to make a change that resonated with me personally. — Mason Spang
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Tuesday’s Spirit Week Theme: “Twin Day”
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Volunteer Event 3: Highway Cleanup
The fearless Pound crew, some Stoughton friends, and several Dairyland partners spent the morning cleaning trash off Dairyland’s sponsored stretch of highway. Note that highway cleanup coincided with Wig Day, and Dairyland employees showed out in neon blue and white wigs!
Cleaning our highways is more than just picking up garbage — it’s about showing pride in our community and respect for the people who live here. Small acts of service can make a big difference, and when we work together to keep our roads clean, we help create a safer, more beautiful place for everyone. Every piece of litter removed is a reminder that positive change starts with people willing to step up and help. — Brandon Baeten
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Wednesday’s Spirit Day Theme: “Wig Day”
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Volunteer Event 4: Heartland Farm Sanctuary
A small but mighty Inside Sales team returned to the Heartland Farm Sanctuary in Stoughton to lay pavers for an accessible pathway and help with spring beautification projects. The Heartland Farm Sanctuary offers rescue and rehabilitation for farm animals on their way to being rehomed.
I love how Dairyland truly encourages each employee to get out of the workplace and go volunteer to serve people and communities well. It’s yet another reminder that Dairyland is more than just a business, but one that cares about what’s going on in the world and people as a whole. — Megan Aasby
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Thursday’s Spirit Week Theme: “Dress Like Mike Day”
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Volunteer Events 5 and 6: Phil Eggen and Ben Jacobs
Volunteer week goes nationwide! Employees Phil Eggen and Ben Jacobs organized volunteer events in Chicagoland and Pittsburgh to serve their local communities. Phil brought Dairyland partners Lukas Enterprises, VCP Sales, Nicor Gas, Pembina Pipeline, and Kinder Morgan to the Northern Illinois Food Bank—together, they packaged enough food for 8,698 meals! Ben worked with partners from DT Midstream and local community members to clean up about 12 cityscape blocks and a stairwell in the Southside of Pittsburgh.
I was very proud to lead this event as Dairyland and AMPP Chicago came together to support our local communities through volunteering at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. We plan to continue this partnership and complete more volunteer events in the near future. — Phil Eggen
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Friday’s Spirit Day Theme: “Work from Home Day”
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Volunteer Event 7: Habitat for Humanity
Members of Dairyland’s leadership and business development teams, as well as partner Tracie Duellman Search, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to complete interior and exterior projects on new housing for low-income individuals. Habitat for Humanity provides sustainable housing across the country and Dairyland has partnered closely with them since 2018, even sponsoring a build in 2021.
[I] really enjoy serving with others and doing the “small” things that add up. [It’s] amazing what can be accomplished when many people give/serve just a little. — Ken Schuh
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Conclusion:
This is the heart of Business as a Force for Good: giving of our time and resources to support our communities in tangible, meaningful ways. We carry this spirit with us throughout the year and invite you to do the same.
If you participated in Volunteer Week and have photos you would like to share, please send them to LiveEngaged@dairyland.com.
Thank you for your support, and for partnering with us to use Business as a Force for Good! Keep an eye out for Volunteer Week 2027—we can’t wait to serve with you again next year.
Making the World a Better Place, One Pop Tab at a Time
Dairyland Supply Chain Manager Kiley Dura details Dairyland’s latest challenge, a battle between locations to see who can collect the most pop tabs, and its personal connection to her family.
The Pop Tab Challenge
During Dairyland’s monthly team meeting in November, I introduced a new challenge to the group: Which facility—the headquarter office in Stoughton or the manufacturing shop in Pound—could collect the most pop tabs over the next six-week period? The challenge was simple and straight forward, on January 6th the tabs at each location would be weighed, and the location with the heaviest supply of tabs would be named the winner and bragging rights would be awarded. We are a competitive bunch here at Dairyland, so everyone was eager to participate.
“We will do anything we can to win.” —Literally everyone at Dairyland during the challenge
What was my inspiration for launching this challenge? It actually started with my kids’ school. Our local elementary school launched a competition across all grade levels — whichever grade collected the most tabs by weight would receive a pizza and “pop” float party. And as an extra incentive, for every 10lbs raised, a lucky student got to throw a pie in the face of a teacher. The school’s competition inspired the entire community, and local bars, restaurants, aunts, uncles, and grandparents were soon collecting tabs for the kids. Quite frankly we were all feeling very excited.
More Than Just a Community Challenge
While I appreciate a community competition as much as anyone, for me, this challenge was more personal.
Nearly two years ago, 1/23/2023, I experienced one of the worst days of my life. On this day, I learned that my nephew, Jameson, who was three years old at the time, had a tumor growing through his skull that was pushing on his brain. The tumor was cancer — Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that develops from immature nerve cells. It is most common in and around the adrenal glands. Neuroblastoma is typically diagnosed in children between ages 1-2 and it is one of the most common types of cancer that affects the sympathetic nervous system.
The cause of this cancer is not well understood but is associated with specific gene mutations. Unfortunately, Jameson didn’t just have this cancer, he had a rare mutation that caused the cancer to speed up its growth. Jameson underwent surgery to remove the tumor from his head. This was just the beginning.
Cancer sucks. It’s so unfair. When I think of Jameson, I think he’s the most inspiring, courageous, and toughest boy I’ve ever met. Over the following 22 months, Jameson had 66 scans that include CT, MR, IR, XR, and ECG’s, 9 CVL surgeries, 2 tumor surgeries (1 skull and 1 adrenal gland the size of a baseball), 40 radiation treatments, chemotherapy, trials, pokes and blood draws, an endless number of trips to and from Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee, and the stress and anxiety of the unknown. You name it, this kid has been through it all. During this time, our small-town community was nothing short of amazing. They held benefits to support us financially, community get-togethers to create awareness of childhood cancers, honored us at football games, held lemonade stands, and contributed personal gifts or letters to Jameson while at the hospital. The support from strangers who became like family is a true testament to humanity.
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Ronald McDonald House
While the community support was amazing, we found a place in Milwaukee called Ronald McDonald House that provides the same outpouring of care. Ronald McDonald House provides families “a home away from home”, a free place to stay, while their ill or injured children are being treated at Children’s Wisconsin and other area hospitals. This house was built and opened in 1984 and is referred to as “the house that love built”, and it couldn’t be truer. To date, Jameson has had over 223 hospital visits in Milwaukee, an approximately 2.5-hour drive from his home. His family could not afford to stay in a hotel or make the drive back-and-forth for each of these appointments, so staying at the Ronald McDonald House alleviated one worry for the family. Thankfully Jameson’s stay at the Ronald House came to an end on November 14, 2024, when he rang the bell at the hospital, symbolizing that he is officially cancer FREE. To say we are beyond grateful, thankful, and blessed that our little man is on his way to a healthy, cancer free life is definitely an understatement. However, we as a family still want to continue to support such a great charity.
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So, how is this connected to the pop tabs? The Ronald McDonald house has thrived on donations from mainly soda can tabs, but also canned food or pet food tabs, from families across eastern Wisconsin. Since 2000, recycling the little aluminum tabs has generated over $400,000 for our Ronald McDonald House to help keep families together. They not only offer families a place to sleep while their child is being treated but have fun things for the kids to play with, offer dinners most nights, and provide entertainment to allow the families to take their minds off the main reason why they are there.
Back to the Dairyland Challenge — Who Won?!
As I mentioned early on, there were no rules to Dairyland’s Pop Tab Challenge, which really brought out some competitive spirits. Most people challenged their families to save tabs at home so they could bring them to the appropriate collection site. But some took it a step further, purchasing tabs from Amazon to seal the win. The Stoughton office came up with a stash that weighed whopping 9.476 lbs., while the Shop’s impressive collection weighed in at 7.656 lbs. Collectively, Dairyland gathered enough pop tabs to total 17.132 lbs. I couldn’t have been prouder of my work family for helping my kids donate to such a great charity via their school. My kids were ecstatic!!!
“We put our blood, sweat, and tears into this.” —Various team members at our production facility
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While the school’s contest isn’t over yet, by mid-December, the students had collectively turned in 417 POUNDS of tabs. Dairyland was able to add our solid 17 pounds to the mix. However, The Ronald McDonald house is the real winner of this company/school/community competition, as these tabs will allow them to continue their good work.
How you Live Engaged might look different than the next person, but your actions are rooted in the same thing: a desire to make a positive impact in our world through 4 areas.
INVEST IN YOURSELF | Show Up for Your Circle | STRENGTHEN YOUR COMMUNITY | Transform the World
Your circle represents those who are closest and most important in your life – your family, your friends, your coworkers, or even your neighbors. You can Live Engaged by being present with the people around you.
Choosing to meaningfully connect with someone communicates how much you value them and deepens the relationship you share. You have the opportunity to stand with the people you care about through the ups and downs of life, whether in the peaks of celebration or the valleys of suffering. These interactions don’t have to be complicated or long; the key is the quality of your time together.
Here are some ways you can show up for your circle:
Family: Create a device-free hour at home to connect while making dinner, play a game together, work alongside each other on a project, go on a vacation, take your spouse on a date, spend time listening to the history of an aging parent, take turns sharing a highlight and lowlight from the day, read to your kids before bed, be the cool uncle who makes alien-shaped pancakes.
Friends: Go out for dinner together, send flowers on a hard day, drop off their favorite beverage, listen when they need to verbally process, text just to say you’re thinking about them, have a standing monthly call, celebrate their birthday.
Coworkers: Swing by to ask about their weekend, remember the details they share about their lives, bring treats in spontaneously, send a note of heartfelt appreciation, recognize their contributions, take time to help on a project, mentor an intern or new recruit.
Neighbors: Welcome and introduce yourself to the new people on the block, bake and deliver fresh cookies, rake an elderly neighbor’s yard, host a bonfire or cookout, bring in someone’s trashcans on garbage day.
How do you show up for your circle? Tell us here!
Kristy James, Dairyland’s Financial Controller, shares about how this fall season looks different than years past, invites us into compassionate care, and offers a heartfelt encouragement for anyone juggling a lot right now.
How has life changed for you in the pandemic and specifically in this back-to-school season?
I’m now working from home, almost full time, while trying to keep my 3rd grader on track with virtual learning. It tends to make my day much longer, starting early and working late, to be able to balance the needs of both. It increases my need for intentionality and focus with everything, which I may still be working on perfecting.
You shared previously about involvement with the Cambridge PTO; how has that been impacted or continued amid so many changes to schooling this fall?
The mission of the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is to support our school district staff and students and to help offer opportunities that otherwise might not exist. While normally we’d help sponsor things like field trips and bringing arts/fitness activities to our schools, we’re now helping deliver meals to families and awaiting how else we can support our district. Knowing that funds are tight this year and that we all need a little boost, we’ve modified our main fall fundraising to be one that focuses more on school spirit and ensures social distancing. The anticipated decreased financial support and unknown school fund requests leave a lot of unknowns for the school year.
What are some of the needs for students, teachers, and/or parents that may not be as obvious right now?
Emotional support and encouragement are probably some of the greatest needs right now. Most parents/caregivers aren’t teachers, and many are trying to balance work and teaching. This is new and can be overwhelming; check in with your friends to make sure they’re doing ok. Our teachers are amazing and love our kids! Many have not been given the advanced training, resources, and time to get setup properly to teach our kids virtually. They are dedicated and need to be given grace and reassurance of the good they’re doing; help keep them from burning out. And let’s not forget the kids – we need to give them compassion, leniency, praise, and love. This educational environment is new, they’re probably sick of their adults/siblings, and miss their friends. They’ll figure out the new routine, it just may take a little time, let’s try to be patient.
What would you say to encourage a parent/caregiver juggling work and overseeing schooling?
You are amazing! Whatever you’re doing, however you’re doing it, keep up the good work! You will be harder on yourself than anyone else, may feel like a failure, and think that the day was a loss, but you did great! Your kid(s) will not fall behind from anything you do or don’t get done. You are not alone in the struggle to figure out the right way or best way to navigate. And please don’t forget to reach out for help, we all need it sometimes!
What do you think it looks like to Live Engaged in your specific circumstances?
For me, to Live Engaged is about doing your best and supporting those around you at home, at work, in your community, and beyond. I do this by spending my working hours at a company with strong values and cares for the employees and world it serves. I try to stay (virtually) connected with coworkers and friends that I would’ve normally seen in person and I volunteer with our PTO, schools, and other local resources. Last but not least, try to come up with different ways to have fun as a family and stay connected with those we can’t see as often.
What does it mean to attend to the whole person?
It is human to feel the heaviness, fear, uncertainty and stress swirling throughout our world. In recent weeks we have heard a lot about taking critical actions to keep ourselves and others healthy amid global pandemic. While their importance can’t be emphasized enough, at Dairyland we have been considering how we can further meet the needs of the whole person.
We invite you to join us as we care for both ourselves and others right now. Our partners, spouses, kids, extended family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and even the lady in front of us at the grocery store need it. We need it too. It takes compassion, intentionality, and generosity, and this is what it means to live engaged in the mundane moments and stressful times of crisis.
Toward that end, we put together a list of prompts and possibilities to pursue a different approach to this season. You might walk away with 1 new practice or incorporate 5; take what is helpful. It might even spark a different idea that is life-giving for you.
May these become on-roads to thriving and living engaged even now.
CUT
Slash excessive inputs of news and social media. Cut what is unhelpful and fuels stress, discontent, or anger. Enjoy the peace and mental space it brings.
LAUGH
Find ways to laugh – watch a funny movie, reminisce and tell stories, be silly and don’t take yourself too seriously.
MOVE
Move your body – take a walk outside (with distance from others, of course), exercise at home, breathe deeply, stretch. If you’re the dancing type, that works too.
SLEEP
Don’t apply the cut recommendation here: go to bed early and get sleep.
CREATE
A lot has been taken away from us, but what can we add, improve, or make? Consider crafting, building, baking, coloring, re-arranging or decorating a space, designing or fixing something broken.
EAT
Eat tasty food that also nourishes your body. It helps boost your immune system too.
PLAY
We adults haven’t outgrown the need to play and have fun. Play a game, do something you love, tap your imagination. Living room blanket forts are not off limits.
CONNECT
Though we’re far apart from most people physically, we can still call, video chat, send handwritten notes, or talk from a distance. Ask thoughtful questions and consider how to take these conversations deeper than just the virus. For those under the same roof, how can you use this time to strengthen relationships and foster meaningful experiences?
REFLECT
It can feel more comfortable to avoid what’s happening in and around us, but actively reflecting (thinking, journaling, talking it out, practicing daily gratitude) helps us process and accept – even leverage – it. Be gentle and kind to yourself; this is a new experience you’ve likely never had to navigate before.
HOBBIFY (we don’t think this word actually exists, but do affirm hobby as a verb)
What have you wanted to do but always pushed aside for “when you have time?” Go for it! Read or learn something new, listen to a podcast, pick up a new hobby.
GIVE
There’s a scientifically documented “helper principle” which shows that helping others also brings joy and satisfaction to you: a win-win situation. It additionally cultivates a sense of agency when we feel like we have no power or control over our circumstances. There are plenty of needs around us; how can you meet one today? Consider who might be even worse off, on the margins, and have no one looking out for them?
ASK
“What does this situation make possible?” We’re regularly reminded of what we can’t do, but what might be possible because of the unique limitations we experience? Be on the lookout.
Send us a line at LiveEngaged@dairyland.com or tag us on social media (Facebook + Instagram) – we would love to hear from you and what you’re doing to live engaged these days.
This past week we asked our youngest-ever contributor, 9-year-old Izzie, to tell us about her love of soccer and how she uses it as an opportunity to encourage kids on her team. Izzie proves that there are no age limits when it comes to living engaged.
Izzie considers soccer more than a hobby. It’s her passion – something she spends hours doing, whether playing in a tournament or practicing in her backyard. For the last 5 years she’s been honing her skills, not just technically but also as an engaged teammate. You see, Izzie isn’t just concerned about winning or about her own performance, she cares about how each member of her team is doing, noticing when someone is having a bad day, struggling with a situation at home, or simply feeling discouraged about how they performed on the field.
We asked her a few questions so you can hear directly from the girl who will make you wish she was on your team and who inspires us all to be the best cheerleaders we can be for others.
What makes a team work well? If we have fun together it makes everyone want to play soccer. [Last weekend] we went to get ice cream as a team, sat together, and were laughing so hard with each other. It’s important to do those things because it makes our team closer and we want to spend more time together. We know we’re going to play with our friends because we spend time outside of soccer too.
What is something you do to make the team better? I focus on encouraging others. I have a friend who plays goalie – she’s really good at it – but sometimes when the ball goes past her, she doesn’t feel very good about herself. Sometimes I’ve heard fans and others watching making jokes. And I’ll say, “It’s okay, it’s just one; we’ll get it next time!” to try to pick her up.
My other friend, who was on my soccer team last year, was really down on herself, thinking “I can’t do this, I’m so bad at this.” I didn’t think that was true because she’s actually good at soccer. I think to myself, “If I can give her a boost, that will make her want to keep doing her best and not feel so down on herself.”
How do you know someone is having a hard day? Sometimes they tell me or they just look really sad or aren’t playing as hard as I know they can. Some kids come from hard things at home or on the bus and are discouraged. I try to give them a boost.
Is that how you see your role, giving people a boost? Yeah!
What about when other kids do something good? I cheer loud for them so they’ll feel good about themselves and love playing soccer even more. After the games I always find a few teammates and say, “Nice goal!” “Good pass!” or “Great game!” to encourage them.
How do you see yourself living engaged on your team? I focus on being a great teammate and try to make others feel good… I give them a boost! That’s how I think of myself living engaged.
Greg, Dairyland’s Marketing Manager and Izzie’s dad chimed in too, saying, “One of the things I find really neat about Izzie is how focused on others she is. When she was little, we would always have her say thank you to the coaches and find one teammate to encourage after each game. Now she does it automatically regardless of how the game went, or how she played. And it’s not just one person anymore; usually she finds as many people as she can. Her mom and I are very proud of how hard she competes, but even more, how focused she is on encouraging and building friendships with others.”
Wherever you find yourself, there is an opportunity to spread a little kindness and give someone else the boost they need. How will you Live Engaged?
As one of Dairyland’s first employees, Sherry has been with us for the long-haul, building and preparing our products before they’re shipped all over the globe. She is one of the kindest, cheeriest individuals you will ever meet and we’re so grateful to have her on our team. Recently she shared her story of living engaged through meaningful volunteering.
Sherry remembers when she first considered being a blood donor. “Before I gave blood,” she says, “I thought ‘I don’t even know if my blood is good enough.’” “What if something is wrong with it?” she wondered. Despite her worry, she went to see if donation was feasible. When the results returned, she discovered that, not only was there nothing to worry about, her blood type is classified as “rare” and crucial for saving newborn babies.
Sherry has an O- blood type and, additionally, has CMV Negative status. This enables her blood to be used universally (O- blood can be utilized by all other blood types). Not only that, but that blood is absent of the relatively common cytomegalovirus (CMV), which newborns, pregnant women, and some other vulnerable patients cannot be exposed to.
As a mother of 3 and lover of babies, Sherry is encouraged that she can play a small part in protecting their lives. “To go from worrying to knowing they want to use it for babies makes me feel so good – [think about] the future ahead of them!” In the wake of numerous shortages, she has “traveled” hundreds of miles away to meet needs across the United States.
Today she even connects these dots to her grandfather. He was born on January 11th in NE Wisconsin within the walls of their family’s 1-room cabin. At the same time that he prematurely entered the world, their community was building a dam which temporarily brought a doctor to the area – a very rare occurrence for that rural area. Her grandfather barely survived – and wouldn’t have if the doctor had not been present – but they tenderly rested him in a warming box on top of the wood stove and fed him milk through a dropper until his tiny 3 pound body began to respond and grow. “If he hadn’t lived, I wouldn’t be here today,” says Sherry. That knowledge makes her grateful for the technological advances we’ve made, the generosity of others to protect vulnerable lives, and way she too can participate in it.
You might think your contribution is small and insignificant, but even seemingly little acts can make a lasting difference. What do you have the power to influence and transform for the good of others?