The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Search, and You'll Find Men Of Value

by Dessa Rodeffer
Quill Editor/Publisher

31 January 2001

We're all guilty of it from time to time.... letting our values go and our pride with it.

I believe we grab hold of that other type of pride . . . the pride of arrogance and conceit . . .talking about others instead of looking in the mirror at our own less than perfect behaviors.

I've been wondering what ever happened to the other type of pride.

:Pride in self-respect, not self importance.

:Pride in values and high expectations, not in arrogance.

:Pride in caring for family and community, not pride in building an empire for yourself.

I'm talking about pride of character.

But then I look around the community and notice one young man in our community who helps youth raise money for mission trips. Sunday, they were preparing "super bowl subs" and was teaching a very worthy lesson to our youth.

He also videos our youth regularly at ball games.

He is in charge of his life and he could choose to spend his free time for his own pleasures, but he doesn't. He chooses to use his free time for others.

Recently, I was approached by a father in La Harpe who lost his son in a tragic accident. They had no videos of his basketball games and were asking me if I might have a video of some La Harpe/Southern games in hopes of finding one of his son.

I pointed him to our school's (volunteer) video man who keeps a file of all the videos he takes rather than taping over them.

Many times he has produced a highlight tape for youth from these tapes. He will also produce a tape for these parents.

In a nearby community, you will find a banker who chooses to attend many of the community, county and school events in support of their projects. You can count on him being there.

There are many in our small communities who volunteer to help with the fight against cancer, who volunteer at the nursing homes, on the ambulances, with the bloodmobile. There are the firemen, and many in service groups such as the Masons, the Lions, and church mission groups.

It was good to see President Bush yesterday, open up grants for the first time ever, to churches who are using funds for social services in their communities. The men who joined him are called "People of Compassion." in this effort, and he stressed that we must reach out wherever we can to help others.

The groups striving to help our youth, our elderly, our sick and our needy are usually started by one person, a person of value and pride.

Men of value will take pride in helping their families, in taking care of their homes, children, wives, their parents, and grandparents. They'll make good use of their time. Search, and you'll find them. And when you do, thank them, support them.

They serve because they value life and want to make a difference. God bless them!