A mission to make things better

It seems to me that each of us who inhabit this planet should have a mission to leave things better than we found them. At HBC we live that mission in hundreds of ways, and today I’m appealing to all of our friends and neighbors to join us in making our communities better places in which to live and work.

It’s all about neighborliness…about common courtesy and extending helping hands in ways that make life better for others. There are thousands of opportunities for volunteers here, and I believe each of us who lends a hand as a volunteer feels better for the activity and the help it brings.

As I thought about this message…about its importance to quality of life in our communities, I couldn’t help but consider things those of us at HBC do to help out.

Here’s just a partial list:

• The HBC team delivers meals three days a week as part of the Winona Volunteer Services effort.
• We store, put up and take down the community’s holiday decorations.
  We have an enviable United Way standing, working hard to promote participation.

• Wabasha Eagle Center, St. Charles Library, Winona County Historical Society, Winona State University, Miller Mentoring Program, American Red Cross, Winona Humane Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters (and hundreds of other) contributions.
• Free coverage of events and HBC Channel 25 promotion of community events.

And our folks work hard, too, as evidenced by:

• Creating postcards for Winona Art Center
• Winona State activities (Warrior Club Auction, Foundation Scholarship Brunch)
• Winona Community Foundation Board
• Great River Shakespeare Festival Board
• Winona ORC Board
• Winona Health Board
• Sunset Lions
• Winona State Foundation
• United Way Day of Caring
• Sauer Memorial Home Corporate Board
• Save the Wilke Committee
• Church councils and boards
• Cotter coaching
• Little league coaching
• Community celebrations

And that names just a few. We think we are making a difference and we hope you are volunteering, too.

Gary Evans