It is always inspiring to hear of the brave individuals making an impact in their local community through service, especially when you learn that their families are the people who influenced them to become local heroes. Our families always shape us into the people we become and at Legacy Lock we want to celebrate those stories. Here are 5 local heroes, young and old, who were inspired by their family to impact their local community.
Charlotte, Michigan created a Chuck Jensen Day on July 10th to honor the constant hard work and service Mr. Jensen has brought to their community. Chuck has spent years volunteering, carried the Olympic Torch for them, and raised $1 Million for the Fraternal Order of Eagles charities to support the community. When asked what prompted his dedication, Chuck told Fox 47 News,
“I lost my father when I was 15, there was a lot of people who did a lot of things for my family, and I vowed, when I got 16, that when I get to be able to grow up, I’m gonna give it back.”
Tavis Schriefer is the founder of Telecalm, a stress-free phone service protecting seniors from scammers and equipping caregivers to manage their phone calls. CBNation reported that Schriefer developed Telecalm after caring for his own mother with dementia and understanding the many communication problems associated with caring for a loved one with memory loss. Today, Telecalm helps hundreds of seniors and caregivers all over the country.
"I learned firsthand about the everyday challenges those living with early dementia face, including using the telephone. In 2015, I came up with the idea for teleCalm, developing and refining the design while interviewing other caregivers about their family challenges with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias."
3 | Daria Polenova, Denver, Colorado
As a first time mom, Daria Polenova became interested in finding healthier, natural snack options for her daughter. During COVID she found extra time while stuck at home and began curating these finds into a healthy subscription snack box offering and launched Cub Pantry. She told Shoutout Colorado why she ultimately decided to start her business was she knew other moms were facing this same struggle,
"After I had my daughter, I didn’t know where to start when it came to feeding her... That’s why I set out to build a marketplace that offers unique brands with delicious snacks that put healthy ingredients first."
Marin Holt's love for bicycling started young with regular two wheeled adventures with her family. As she got older and the passion continued she noticed there were many people riding as their main transporation and struggling to fix their bike or access one if needed, while many families have bikes sitting dormant in their garage. Marin got to work learning how to be a bike mechanic and during COVID turned her garage into a conduit to bring people and bikes together to improve transportation. Amy Henry reported to HMB Review on Marin's work as she is being honored for her service to her community,
“Marin’s passion for biking and her community turned her small idea of fixing up bikes for a few folks in need to a nonprofit benefiting the entire Coastside community.”
The National Charity League East Valley honored 17 teen girls with the Presidential Service Award for clocking over 4,402 hours serving children, animals, and the homeless in their community. Gilbert Sun News reported, "The nonprofit, whose mission is to encourage community service for mothers and their daughters, bestows the national award to recipients who have demonstrated a commitment to helping others." One of the recipients Malia Spangler was asked about her service and said,
“Being a member of NCL is important to me because I enjoy spending time with my mother and I’ve learned that it’s important to ask for help when you need it,”
Think of the ways you care for your community and loved ones. Did your mother or father shape why you do that? We encourage you to record that story in your Legacy Lock account today. How do you teach your children to serve their community? It is by saving and sharing your family values, that you pass them onto future generations. Record your story today!
