Driven by their commitment to community, the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives of Iowa held their sixth-annual Shine the Light contest in June to celebrate local volunteers. Employees and member-consumers of Iowa’s locally owned electric cooperatives were invited to nominate someone who makes a positive difference in their community.
The judging committee reviewed essays from 83 outstanding nominations, which were published in the August issue of this magazine, and selected three winners.
Congratulations to Ellen Campbell, who is recognized for bringing comfort and connection to others through Stitch & Chatter; Bill and Megan Gleeson, who are recognized for supporting families facing pediatric cancer through the Rally For Reid Foundation; and Belinda Seay, who is recognized for her compassion and dedication to serving others through Monroe County Helping Hands.
These three winners have been awarded a $3,000 donation to their charity. The following pages showcase and honor each of the Shine the Light contest winners’ commitment to humbly serving their communities.
Learn more at www.IowaShineTheLight.com.
STITCHING TOGETHER A STRONGER COMMUNITY
ELLEN CAMPBELL’S VOLUNTEER SPIRIT BRINGS COMFORT AND CONNECTION TO OTHERS
BY SARAH OLTROGGE
For Ellen Campbell of Panora, volunteering has always been about bringing people together to help others. Now, her dedication has earned statewide recognition.
Ellen joined Stitch & Chatter after retiring from Panorama Schools in 2015, seeing it as a way to keep busy and be productive at the same time. What began with borrowed sewing machines has grown into a thriving volunteer group with members from towns as far away as Jefferson that create quilts, pillowcases, doll clothes and other handmade gifts for people throughout the community.
Handmade with care
“Each and every member is a delight to be around,” Ellen said. “Without them, none of this could happen. We talk about who should be given a quilt, then invite the community to view them and see who will receive them. Probably the most rewarding part is the delivery of the quilts to so many people.”
The group relies on donated fabric and grant funding to support its work, providing handmade items to organizations, including Children’s Clothes Closet (Three C’s), medical facilities and others in need. She also helps organize donations, write grants and coordinate the group’s annual quilt showcase, where community members can see the finished projects before they are distributed.
In her nomination letter, Guthrie County REC member Luann Waldo said Ellen’s leadership and commitment made her an easy choice for the nomination.
“Ellen likes to keep busy. She is very good at organizing whatever task is put before her,” Luann shared of her longtime friend. “She has a talent of recruiting people to help her, but she never asks anyone to do anything that she won’t do herself.”
Luann added that the quilts are “made with love for fellow citizens. It’s a gift that shows the recipient someone cares about and for them.”
Inspiring others to serve
Ellen hopes the recognition inspires others to get involved in their own communities.
“I would encourage others to find a group in their community they could join and discuss how they could help someone,” she said. “Maybe random acts of kindness to a neighbor, business or even family member to bring a smile to their face.”
To learn about Stitch & Chatter, visit www.panorafcc.org/stitch-and-chatter.
Sarah Oltrogge is the communications content supervisor for Central Iowa Power Cooperative.
A HEART FOR HELPING OTHERS
BELINDA SEAY’S COMPASSION AND DEDICATION MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR MONROE COUNTY FAMILIES
BY ERIN CAMPBELL
Selfless. Irreplaceable. Angel walking among us.
These are the words nominators used to describe Belinda Seay of Moravia and her volunteer work at Monroe County Helping Hands, located in Albia. Belinda was nominated by three members of Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative who work with her at Helping Hands.
Sharon Cunningham, site director of the thrift store and local food pantry, shared, “Belinda has been a wonderful volunteer for us for the last 10 years. She is the clothing supervisor and supervises many other volunteers. She works tirelessly to make sure the clothing donations we receive are sorted and hung for distribution to our shoppers, which are at least 600 every month.”
Fellow volunteer Marnie Starr said, “I am not surprised by her 10 years of service as she has also been a nurse for 30 years and a Christian all her life. Compassion is one of the best volunteer traits to find in a person, so this is her wheelhouse. I have personally witnessed unselfish acts of concern from Belinda for the welfare of others. She has a true altruistic spirit.”
“Belinda, during these 10 years, volunteers four days a week. She also stops at a store on her way to Albia from Iconium to bring in donated dairy to the food bank. She is dedicated, selfless and goes above and beyond to help others. Her sense of humor and patience help purchasers and the rest of the volunteers to be their best,” remarked nominator Pat Merrick.
Helping Hands at work
Monroe County Helping Hands was established in 1985 and currently operates out of an older building in Albia that was previously a laundry facility. There is a constant need for maintenance, and the $3,000 Shine the Light donation will help to keep the facility in good working condition while also stocking the shelves of the food pantry section.
The thrift store is open to the public and operates on donated clothing and household goods from the community. The proceeds from thrift store sales benefit the food pantry, allowing Monroe County Helping Hands to purchase food monthly from the Food Bank of Iowa. The food pantry serves more than 200 people in need each month, and no one who asks for assistance is turned away.
A spirit of service
And what makes Monroe County Helping Hands such a longstanding blessing in the community are volunteers like Belinda. Marnie shared, “Belinda has a genuine concern for people. All people. She is invaluable and her dedication is priceless and irreplaceable.”
Belinda has endured some difficult challenges recently, and her faith sustains her. She shared, “My biggest faith is in God. Without his grace and his mercy, I would not be the person I am today.”
To learn more, find Monroe County Helping Hands, Inc. on Facebook.
Erin Campbell is the director of communications for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.
RALLY FOR REID FOUNDATION
BILL AND MEGAN GLEESON HONOR THEIR SON’S LEGACY BY HELPING FAMILIES FACING PEDIATRIC CANCER
BY JIM WILLIAMS
Bill and Megan Gleeson faced every parent’s nightmare when they were told their 2-year-old son had cancer. Their son, Reid, died in 2020 when he was 5 years old after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Megan was nominated for Shine the Light by Kathy Wunderlich, who is a member of Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative.
Reid was an active and fun-loving boy who had a special love for garbage trucks. He would spend time on the 12th floor of the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital overlooking Kinnick Stadium and would watch Hawkeye football games and participate in the iconic Wave tradition. Reid would also point out all the green and yellow garbage cans around the stadium. He would watch for garbage trucks and identify which companies they belonged to during family car trips.
During a stay at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for treatment, Reid toured two garbage and recycling centers, as well as the McNeilus Companies facility where garbage trucks are made. During his fifth birthday party, the city of Davenport organized a garbage truck parade past his house in his honor.
Turning loss into a legacy
As a legacy to their son, the Gleesons founded the Rally For Reid Foundation to support other families facing this devastating diagnosis. The Foundation helps provide support for the entire family, allowing families to stay together during the difficult times they are facing.
“We felt a great loss and emptiness after we lost Reid,” Megan said. “After we started the Foundation and started to receive messages from the families it benefitted, it helped fill that void and gave us a sense of purpose.”
The Foundation supports the Stead Family Children’s Hospital and a variety of research efforts dealing with pediatric brain tumors. Its mission is to provide support for families and children affected by pediatric cancer and to raise funds for vital research.
Supporting families when they need it most
The Foundation has funded several programs to assist with travel expenses and ensure families have access to meals at the hospital so they can stay with their child without having to leave or skip meals. It also provides Family Care packages with essential items and comforting treats to help keep family spirits up during treatment at the hospital.
To date, the Foundation has helped more than 300 families, raised nearly $250,000 and provided care packages to nearly 200 families of children battling cancer.
At the hospital, Reid’s Story Corner is located in the Janice and Bruce Ellig Children’s Library, where Reid loved to spend time reading books and doing puzzles. The activities were a welcome distraction for Reid during his four- to five-hour chemo treatments.
To learn about the Rally For Reid Foundation, visit www.rallyforreid.org.
Jim Williams is the communications director for Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative.
