Marvin and Virginia are committed. After 67 years of marriage, they still hold hands, and it’s obvious they love each other very much.
They also love to give back. For the past 25 years, Marvin and Virginia have volunteered almost every Wednesday at Food Bank of the Rockies. They earn food credit for Front Range Senior Resource Center, and after their shift, they pick up the agency’s food order, take it back to the center, and volunteer the following Thursday at the center to hand out the food to low-income seniors.
“It all started when I saw an ad for a craft sale needing some volunteers,” Virginia shares. “I went there to help 27 years ago, and have been volunteering with Front Range ever since.”
At Food Bank of the Rockies, Marvin and Virginia assist partner agencies with their produce, dairy and bakery needs in our Bud Ferdon Fresh Food Center. After the agency makes their selection, the pair weighs the food and logs the pounds into the agency’s record. Sometimes Marvin helps the agencies load items into their vehicles.
“We tried volunteering in some other areas in the warehouse, but we just didn’t like it as much. This area is our favorite,” Marvin says. “We like weighing the fresh food and meeting the other agencies. It’s fun!”
Today is their last day volunteering at Food Bank of the Rockies. Front Range Senior Resources is closing next month and Marvin and Virginia decided it’s time to find new ways to keep busy.
Virginia tells us she won’t miss the drive and increasing traffic, reminiscing how 56th was a dirt road when they started helping at the food bank. They’ve seen many changes, including Food Bank of the Rockies’ relocation to our current facility. Marvin remembers when they got a sneak peak of the building and how thrilled he was to see how much bigger and better the new facility was. They both commented on the many positive changes they’ve seen over the years, especially how fresh and perishable foods have become much more abundant for agencies.
“The new donors like Amazon and Starbucks really help,” Virginia comments. “We have so much more fresh produce and good stuff for the agencies.”
Both of them tell us their favorite part of volunteering is meeting and talking with the other people who are also feeding their communities, getting to know the other volunteers, and working with Food Bank of the Rockies’ staff. When asked what they’d like others who might be considering volunteering to know, Virginia tells us, “Just help people. Volunteering really does help people.”
Thank you, Marvin and Virginia, for giving your time and your smiles for 25 years. Because you cared, 20,000 meals were shared through Front Range Senior Resource Center. It’s a bittersweet day saying farewell to such amazing volunteers. You will both be missed tremendously and we gratefully celebrate your service.
The team at Food Bank of the Rockies wishes you much joy. Come back and visit soon, so we can hear all about your new adventures!
