Volunteers lend a hand: People give back to community with holiday spirit

By MATT MILNER Courier staff writer

OTTUMWA — Rita Morrissey grabbed a quick break outside the Salvation Army to check her cell phone.

She looked like other visitors on Thanksgiving, at least those who were at the center just before 11 a.m. The hair net distinguished her as one of the volunteers. The diners had not shown up just yet.

Morrissey grinned when asked whether she had volunteered for the annual dinner before. Nope. It was her first time and her eyes lit up when asked what she was doing there.

“The kids are gone now and I live right down the road,” she explained. Serving the Thanksgiving dinner was something she always considered doing but never seemed to find the time for. There was always something else to do. This year was different.

The longtime volunteers have things down to a science. They need to given the sheer volume the Salvation Army handles. Not everyone who gets a meal comes to the large dining room. Hundreds eat at home. Those were the people Jeff Hasley helped.

Like Morrissey, Hasley was new. Organizers had him lugging coolers out for delivery, two at a time. The weight was less of an issue than the fact that coolers are unwieldy regardless of how you handle them.

Hasley came down after the truant officer, with whom he works on conflict mediation, invited him. He was busy. Each cooler held quite a few meals, but they kept coming. He guessed he had handled 400 or so meals.

The hurdle that kept Hasley out of the dinner delivery business in previous years was more mental than physical.

“You always see it on TV and never think you could do something like this in your own community,” he said.

Hasley was clearly glad to pause for a minute to answer questions, but he went back to work as soon as he could. The work was physical. It could tire you out. But Hasley remained enthusiastic even after a couple hours. It’s a good sort of tired.

Tim Woodard stood out in comparison to Hasley and Morrissey. For one, he was one of the comparatively few people wearing a uniform inside; he is a member of the Salvation Army down to his blue epaulets. He sat behind a table next to a red kettle, sans bell ringer.

Woodard’s goal was to fill up the sheet he had in front of him, getting volunteers to fill out the few remaining positions for bell ringers in Ottumwa. The red kettle campaign is one of the most visible holiday fundraisers and something for which the Salvation Army is famous.

The 2009 season is off to a decent start. Woodard described it as “not too bad so far.” The weather has helped. There have been a couple cool, damp days. But nothing like the wind and snow that can hit at this time of year.

Bell ringing is in Woodard’s blood. His father did it for years, ever since Woodard can remember. He has done it almost all of his life. It’s part of his holiday season, the same way the volunteers in the kitchen make the dinner part of their year.

Diners started arriving shortly before 11 a.m., the official starting time. More volunteers stood in line with their hair nets in place, carrying plates for the diners. A couple hours of work remained. They were ready.

Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com