Be a Servant
Helping others is not only a cure for those who are in need, but for us as well.
Toccoa- Stephens County is full of giving and serving folks. I want to share the most recent example of just how easy it is to make a huge impact and meet a need right here at home:
At a recent Chamber Business After Hours event, hosted by Neighbors 4 Neighbors food bank, a few of our local businesses shared their interest in helping this charity. The ideas were creative and generous. Others expressed a desire in helping and volunteering on a personal level. It was exciting to see our community rally around for the greater good.
One local business, Toccoa Raceway, offered to host a food drive on behalf of Neighbors 4 Neighbors. They went to Quality Foods to see what they could do to help. Quality Foods put together $5 bags of canned goods at their cost (so it was actually of even greater value) and had those available for purchase. Toccoa Raceway offered the public half off the entry ticket to last Saturday night’s races for all who showed up with a $5 bag of canned goods.
By the end of the night, the back of a pickup truck was full and we had collected over 550 lbs. of food to be served to the hungry people in our very own county. Every month, Neighbors 4 Neighbors feeds 800 people from our community. The need is real.
There are so many wonderful charities working hard every day to serve the people right here in Stephens County. This is just one example to show just how easy it is to make a difference. What a joy it was to see how our local businesses and the residents pulled together to meet a need.
We can always find a way to be of service to others. From a business standpoint, quality customer service jumps out as the most obvious opportunity. However, that should actually originate from the owner or manager of the business being of service to his/her employees. Be the example that your employees learn to follow.
Though it is a great thing to be in a financial position to help others in a big way, it is also just as important to take advantage of helping in the little things of life. It doesn’t take any special talent to serve others. No additional gifts are required to stay after a meeting to pick up the trash or stack chairs…that is serving…anyone can do it!
Words of wisdom from Anne Frank, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” So let’s be intentional about how we can serve those around us. As a local business or as an individual, there are opportunities to help others every day. Mother Teresa once said “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” I can promise you the blessings are endless and probably even more so to the giver!