Caring and Giving

As we near the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our nation, I’m reflecting on “givers.” During this time of looking back, we honor our military members, firefighters, and police officers. And it is right to honor them. These are the folks who go running toward trouble as the rest of us are sprinting away from it. Our way of life often depends on the service of this group of people and we should never take them for granted.

But today I’m thinking about choices that people make: to give or not to give. The first two examples who come to mind are two young twenty-something daughters of friends. The girls are from completely different kinds of environments: one from a middle class single parent household, the other from a life of privilege. One girl is white, the other African-American. One is starting her third year as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Africa, the other is doing medical work in Sudan. One is suffering from malaria, the other dysentery. What made these girls leave comfortable homes in America to help people on the other side of the world at such a personal cost? They care. They care deeply about their world and the people in it.

Then there are the lifetime volunteer couples. One may be more prominent than the other, but believe me, it takes both marriage partners to make a life of volunteering. Take Joe & Sara Kochenderfer. Joe has been active in the Boy Scouts of America most of his life. In fact, he received the Silver Beaver award a few years ago, one of BSA’s most prestigious awards. Joe has been the driving (and shoveling, and raking) force behind the , one of Havre de Grace’s loveliest parks. You can often find him leading groups on nature hikes along the . And whether he’s serving as a Havre de Grace City Councilman, or simply an active, informed citizen, he’s busy serving our best interests.

Bob & Mary Ann Magee are another couple who’ve spent their lives serving. Bob, a career educator, has influenced thousands of youngsters here in Harford County. As a historian, Bob is always ready to share local history with museum visitors, senior adult bus groups, or our own citizens at local lectures. Meanwhile, “Miss Mary Ann” Magee has taught several generations of our citizens at Grace Methodist’s Nursery and Preschool and still serves as its director. You remember the truths from Robert Fulghum’s book "All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten"? Well, Miss Mary Ann has been instilling those be-nice-and-play-fair values in all those kids, right along with the ABCs. Both are active in their church, and both can be found painting and cleaning local museums, manning fundraisers, and generally doing anything needed for a variety of organizations.

Then there’s John & Carolyn Narvell. When you hear those names you immediately think of Recreation Council and Fourth of July Celebrations. I think the thing that impresses me most about the Narvells is that they just keep on keeping on. A few years ago, the Fourth of July carnival was the subject of lots of discussion and opinion. I suspect that few of those loud voices offered to help with the celebration in any way. But the Narvells didn’t let it get them down. They just worked harder to make the next year even better.

What do all these folks have in common? They care. They care about their community, their neighbors, their family. They volunteer without any expectation of reward, even a kind word. (And they often get exactly that—nothing!) It’s that kind of selfless caring that makes this place, Havre de Grace, such a great place to live and work.

What can you give?

Dr. Seuss said it best: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”