Tuesday, May 11, 1999
A house of volunteers
BY MICHAEL D. CLARK
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEBANON — The gift of giving begins early in the Stewart family, and they are all the richer for it.
For more than 13 years, the Lebanon family of six boys has volunteered regularly at a local nursing home. Their mother says it all started by accident, but continued by design.
One day, Karen Stewart noticed a flyer on the bulletin board of the Lebanon Community Church requesting volunteers to visit and work with elderly residents at the Lebanon Country Manor.
Mrs. Stewart began helping out there and soon was taking her six sons, who now range in age from 7 to 20, to volunteer. During the last 13 years the emotional and spiritual payoff for the family has been profound.
“It's been so rewarding,” Mrs. Stewart said.
“There are two reasons why we started this. One, we really wanted to teach our kids at a young age to help others. Two, we feel it is part of ministering for our church.”
The Stewarts regularly work Monday bingo nights at the 100-bed nursing home off of Monroe Road.
Mrs. Stewart reads out the numbers while her boys spread out in the recreation room to help residents with vision problems read their game cards. Before bingo the family, including husband Dave, a teacher with Lebanon City Schools, leads residents in scripture readings and prayer. They'll sometimes munch on some home-cooked snacks from Mrs. Stewart's kitchen.
Rebecca Young, recreational service director for the Lebanon Country Manor, has nothing but praise for the family of volunteers.
“The residents love them. They mean so much to us,” she said of the Stewarts.
The Stewarts' work is not limited to working bingo nights, she said.
“If we ask them to do most anything, they will,” Ms. Young said.
Residents have enjoyed watching the Stewart boys grow up. The boys, who often do volunteer work or visit on their own, help vision-impaired residents by reading their mail, reading favorite Bible passages for them or just sitting with them for a friendly chat.
“It's the best therapy,” Ms. Young said.
Mrs. Stewart admits that volunteering for 13 consecutive years while trying to raise six boys isn't always the smoothest of rides.
“Sometimes we are not always as enthusiastic about going at first. But as soon as you see the people, their faces and how enthusiastic they are about seeing you ... that changes everything,” Mrs. Stewart said.
She thinks headlines about the increase in broken families and alienated children might fade if more families could share in volunteering. But she is also realistic about the pressures of modern life on families.
“People are very busy nowadays,” she said.
Drew Stewart has to search his memory to recall a time when he didn't help out at the nursing home.
“I was 6 years old when we started,” said the now 19-year-old volunteer.
“I've noticed that when I'm there working to comfort a resident, I come home feeling comforted. It's like the Bible verse says, "It's better to give than receive,'” said Drew.
“It has really strengthened our family.”
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