Gail Christensen began volunteering with IFFS after retiring from IBM in 2003, and has filled many roles from working on the trucks to answering phones to data entry. Gail tells us why she continues to do it over a decade later. Congrats on more than a decade of giving back with IFFS. What was it like when you first started?
I began when IFFS was in its second location, the one before the Vernon Malone Center was built. I worked with Emilie Sigel and Gail Till, whom I had known for years at church. It was tough work, hauling all those boxes, but the time passed swiftly with chatting, news, and laughter.
What’s kept you coming back all these years?
It's fun. You will work with great people. There are plenty of jobs you can do that don't require heavy lifting. And you will make a difference in many people's lives. Seeing the faces of those to whom we delivered food is all the reward I need.
What’s one memory from volunteering that sticks out in your mind?
Working with Emilie and Gail and Al Baker was great fun. It was my job to fill out the data sheets of what we picked up and how much. One hot day, the windows of the truck were open and the sheets flew out of my hand on very busy South Saunders Street. We went back and scoured the place for those sheets, but never found them. Thank goodness I was able to reconstruct the numbers from memory!
Feeling inspired? Click here to learn about the many different ways you can volunteer with IFFS.
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By Lindsay Humbert, IFFS Digital Media Specialist. Contact: Lindsay@FoodShuttle.org