Photos by Primetime Shots
continues to strive for those who seek out
her assistance.
As chair of the Washington County Bar
Association’s Pro Bono department, Bates
recently initiated the Pro Bono Attorney of
the Year Award to recognize those attorneys
who devote their time to helping those who
cannot afford their services. The hope is
that, over time, more and more attorneys
like her will step up to help the growing
numbers of those less fortunate who need
help the most.
“One of my favorite quotes is [Thomas]
Edison’s, ‘If we all did what we are capable
of, we would literally astound ourselves,’”
she said. “These are wise words said by a
wise man.”
While Bates works tirelessly at the
Washington City Mission and the legal
clinic to do more than her fair share of
assisting those individuals, she understands
that she alone cannot help the homeless,
and advocates that anyone can help the
City Mission or other causes no matter
what their vocation. Donations of time,
clothing, necessities, or talent can all be
ways that individuals can help change a life
for the better, and Bates wants to encourage
others to help out where they can.
In that respect, she, her husband, Daniel,
and their four children, Adam, Megan,
Angelina and Nicholas, all are excellent
emissaries for the mission’s work with their
get-things-done attitude and contagious
enthusiasm for the work they do. Her
husband and the rest of their South Hills
Assembly of God motorcycle ministry ride
to the mission on Saturday mornings to
help serve breakfast to the residents. This
rolling thunder of do-gooders demonstrate
to all that helping those less fortunate
doesn’t have to be a lonely calling, and that
community, fellowship and good-will all go
hand-in-hand to the betterment of all.
In her free time, Bates and her family are
passionate about travelling, and seeing the
world gives them a perspective that not
only refreshes them, but reinforces their
commitment to their work back home.
“I backpacked in Tibet for about three
weeks by myself, before I was married.
I travelled to the first base camp on
the Tibetan side of Mount Everest,
Chomolama. I have also travelled in
Morocco, Monaco, France, Australia, India,
Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, Mexico,
Switzerland, Austria, Thailand, Nepal,
Taiwan, and England,” Bates said.
Travelling not only allows Bates to see
the wonders of the world but also reenergizes her when she gets back to the
country she loves the most to do the work
that makes the most difference. ■
Peters Township | April/May 2014 | icmags.com 49