BRIGHAM CITY -- Could Brigham City be the volunteer capital of the world?
Jack and Marge Small seem to think so. The couple, who have been volunteering for 39 years, said they're not the only ones providing service to their community.
"We have volunteers here like you wouldn't believe," said Marge, 67. "Just at the senior center alone there are so many volunteers it's just amazing. I really think Brigham City is the volunteer capital of the world."
When the couple moved to Brigham City 39 years ago, they decided they wanted to become part of the community.
"So I joined the lady's community clubs and started volunteering from there," said Marge.
Jack, 70, wandered into the Brigham City Historical Depot to look around and saw people painting.
"I asked them if they could use a hand and they said absolutely, that they would love it," he said. "I had always been intrigued by trains, so to be able to paint inside the depot was a great opportunity for me. It was a lot of fun and then one thing led to another."
The couple volunteer nonstop, helping out everywhere they can possibly think of.
"I haven't kept track of how many hours we volunteer each week, but it's about a million," said Marge. "One place I enjoy volunteering is at the Willow Glen Nursing Home. About 20 years ago my mother was there, and they didn't have music. She loved music, so I started to go there with some friends to provide the music."
They are also involved with the Golden Spike Club and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They also take special needs kids to dances in Cache County.
"Our parents were very involved in volunteering," said Marge. "Jack's parents volunteered in California and my parents volunteered in Idaho. All of our brothers and sisters are also very active in some part."
From 2002 to 2004, the couple took time off to serve a mission to Bolivia for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Upon their return, they jumped right back into volunteering in the community as well as at the Ogden LDS Temple.
"Marge is really an outgoing person," said Jack. "She was a school teacher and is wonderful with the kids. She does storytelling at the Depot and I tell ya, she keeps the kids entertained. Sometimes we've had 100 preschool children there at a time."
Jack, who is a retired laboratory worker for the Utah Department of Agriculture, said he highly recommends volunteering.
"A lot of people, when they retire, just retire from life. That's a good way to rust out," he said. "It's better to wear out than to rust out. Besides, it keeps me off the streets and out of my wife's hair."
The couple both said if a person has time on their hands, they don't need to look far to find volunteer work.
"There are a lot of things out there," said Jack. "Don't just sit around. Think about what you can be doing, especially if you have extra time."
Comments