Loving &
Serving
A Volunteer’s Passion
to Help byHer Community
Jerry Hostetler
With the Christmas season upon us, it brings
to mind the season of good will and good cheer.
This month we are going to feature the “good
will” portion of the two holiday traditions. A
part of good will is volunteering in the community and one volunteer that came to mind
in our community was Deb Baker. In fact
after interviewing Deb, I might consider
her a professional volunteer. Although we
singled out Deb, she was quick to say, “We
live in a community of caring people that
are very willing to help others in any
way that they can.
Deb’s “real” job is in Middlebury
and when she’s not working there,
you’ll probably find her at the Clothes
right out the back door.”
and Food Basket in LaGrange, where
The Clothes and Food Basket is
she serves as treasurer and has been
gearing up for its annual, Christvolunteering since 2009. According
mas Bureau, which takes place from
to Deb, with the downturn in the
November 28th through December
economy the last couple of years, the
20th. During this time they expand
Clothes and Food Basket has seen a
their hours from their regular hours of
tremendous increase in the amount of Monday and Thursday 8:00 am to 2:30
people that it has served. Which in real pm to Monday through Saturday 8
numbers translates into serving 9,418 am to 2:30 pm. They are always lookthrough November this year, compared ing for more volunteers to cover the
with 2,148, January through October
extra hours that they are open during
in 2010. Deb reiterated the generosity this time. Last year Deb took a week
of the community in that they conoff of her “real” job during Christmas
tinue to donate generously to keep up
Bureau so that she could volunteer at
with the extra demand. There is now a the Clothes and Food Basket during
very high turnover rate of items that
this busy time. There are drop boxes
are donated. Or as Deb said, “The dona- available 24 hours a day, seven days a
tions come in the front door and go
week, at the Clothes and Food Basket
and donations are always welcome.
pg 14 · The Hometown Treasure · Dec. ‘11
The Clothes and Food Basket isn’t
the only community organization that
benefits from Deb’s volunteering. Just
down the street at the Church of God
you might find Deb volunteering at a
community Thanksgiving dinner, for
those who otherwise wouldn’t have the
opportunity to enjoy all the trimmings
of a Thanksgiving meal. Deb has also
helped at the United Methodist Church
in LaGrange with their Sunday evening
meals.
No, not all of Deb’s volunteering
revolves around food. In fact, if you
have had children in band or choir at
Westview, then you probably have seen
Deb volunteering at the music department events and fund raisers. Deb has
been serving on the music parent’s
association board since 2004. She