Today marks the end of National Volunteers Week. There are about a zillion more people we would like to highlight, who each bring their own special personalities, abilities, and gifts to help Springfield kids “crush the odds with the love of God!” But we’ve been delighted to introduce a few this week: Greg Jindra, Gary Lookabaugh, Mary Apone, and Corie Cappelucci. (Click their names if you missed those days!)
Today we want to introduce you to Dave Warner.
Although maybe this photo gives you a better sense of Dave’s sense of humor and fun-loving personality!
Dave is a member of High Street Church of the Nazarene, and has volunteered at the High Street STARS Afterschool Program for Kenwood kids for the past 5 years (since the program started!) He works at Maiweave LLC and is a dad and grandpa.
Dave is someone we are so grateful to have around our STARS kids! Through his wife’s long fight with cancer and her passing, he has remained a tremendous example of faithfulness and love for the Lord. He reminds all of us — kids and adults — to keep our eyes on Jesus during the good times and bad times.
Tyler Worley, our STARS director, says, “Dave shows up week in and week out and is ready to serve wherever he can lend a hand. He’s a person that the kids have come to know cares deeply for them.”
To someone considering working with STARS, Dave says, “If you love God and love kids, then come aboard! STARS has helped me grow in my faith because sometimes the problems that the children are facing, I just don’t have answers for, but then you see God break into the situation and you get to see how big God really is.”
“I also really look forward to the times when the kids are grown and I run into them at the store or somewhere and they tell me about how they’re living their lives.”
We know that the years that Dave has been pouring into these kids, week by week, are making a difference and changing their lives. And we believe that by the grace of God, some of those “someday moments” will be different because Dave invested in these kids. We thank God for Dave, for the others we’ve highlighted this week, and for the MANY who are investing in kids in our city through SCYM!