Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, April 21,2021, The True Citizen
Local couple encourages volunteerism
Hazel and Rex Gerlinger began volunteering as a way to develop new friendships.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
Editor’s note: As part of the
1000 Points of Light campaign,
President George H. W. Bush
designated April as National
Volunteer Month. The True Cit
izen is dedicated to promoting
and celebrating volunteerism
in Burke County throughout
the month.
Rex and Hazel Gerlinger just
finished volunteering during
the Master’s Night Out event.
“I was in charge and Hazel
was kind-of my gopher,” Rex
said jokingly. “The next thing
coming up is Boss Hog.”
The couple is active in both
the Downtown Development
Authority and the Downtown
Organization of Retailers.
They have also donated their
time to Wimberly House Min
istries.
The Gerlingers moved from
Atlanta to Waynesboro in
2004.
“We knew absolutely no
one,” Hazel said. “So, we just
started volunteering because
we needed to get to know
people.”
The approach worked out
well. Hazel and Rex both
agree that volunteering is an
excellent way to meet people.
Two years after moving to
Waynesboro, the Gerlingers
hosted a party of 220 friends
and acquaintances.
“You feel like you are a part
of the community,” Rex said. “I
can’t say enough as far as the
nice people we have met here.”
Rex said he would like to see
more diversity in the volun
teers that he meets. He would
like to see younger people
engage more in community
events.
“All of our friends are our
age, in the late 60’s and early
70’s and after a while, you
don’t get burnt out, you just
wonder why you can’t attract
the younger crowd to come
out and start volunteering,”
he said. “I wonder if once our
generation can’t volunteer
anymore, is there going to be
a gap, will there not be enough
volunteers to do these things?”
Hazel is less concerned.
“We didn’t volunteer when
we were young,” she said.
“We were in our 50’s before
we started getting involved.”
The couple admitted that
volunteering requires time and
as people age, time becomes
a more important commod
ity. Regardless of age, vol
unteering opens the door to
networking, which can lead
to friendships and also job
opportunities, they said. They
believe that everyone can find
a few spare hours to make a
difference.
Volunteers receive more than
they give, Hazel said.
“How can you not afford
to volunteer if it doesn’t cost
anything?” Rex said. “It beats
cutting the grass.”
Shriners BBQ fundraiser is Saturday
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
This Saturday, April 24, the
community has an opportunity
to help make a difference in
children’s lives while also get
ting a great meal.
The Waynesboro Shrine
Club will hold its annual BBQ
fundraiser from noon to 4
p.m. and according to Shriner
Jimmy Allen, this year’s dinner
is especially important. “Last
year we weren’t able to do it
because of COVID,” he said,
“so we need to sell these plates
and make up for lost funds.”
Allen also said the Shriners
have held the fundraiser for
more than 50 years in order
to help support the young pa
tients who need treatment from
Shriners Hospitals across the
United States.
Tickets for the BBQ dinner
are $10 and may be purchased
early from any Shriner or by
calling Allen at 706.551.0727.
Plates may also be purchased
on Saturday. Preorders and
day-of orders will all be picked
up via drive-thru at the Shriners
building, 817 Highway 24
South in Waynesboro.
Plates consist of BBQ, rice
and hash, coleslaw, a slice of
bread and a “sweet treat” pre
pared by the Ladies Auxiliary.
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