Sisters Jaylynn, Chelby, and Mae Talsma, along with Zach Grundy, receive Service Above Self recognition from Val Gerhart. Since the pandemic closed Michigan schools in mid-March, the four volunteers have played a key role in the County's two school districts' delivery of meals to families in need of support.
To coordinate this monumental task for Benzie Central Schools, Lisa Purchase, Food Service Director, and Matt Olson, Superintendent, have been working with a team of community volunteers that included Rotarians, school staff, parents, and in particular the four young people that the Benzie Sunrise Rotary Club has recognized with Service Above Self Awards. They have been at the school twice a week to pack food bags and transport them for overnight storage at Beulah’s L’Chayim Delicatessen’s walk-in refrigerator. Two other mornings these four young people arrive at L’Chayim at 7:30 to move the food to Benzie Central, where it is loaded onto school buses for distribution.
Lisa Purchase said, “These four volunteers have been the ones I could turn to whenever I needed extra support. They have said yes to everything I’ve asked and haven’t missed a day in the 12 weeks this program has been going.”
On June 8th, the final morning of food distribution, club members were at Benzie Central to say thanks. When asked what inspired them to get up early every morning the past three months and demonstrate this kind of reliability and dedication, they answered, “We just knew this was a big need and we wanted to help.” Thank you Jaylynn, Chelby, Mae, and Zach for stepping up and making a difference!