Roy and Eleanor have always lived a life of service to others. Married 64 years, with two children, the couple has donated their time and treasure to Opportunity House for 27 years! Roy, a retired teacher, learned about us when he began to drive veterans from Opportunity House and other places in Berks County to the VA in Lebanon three days a week. He has won multiple service awards from the Red Cross for volunteering for over 25 years and for being a longstanding blood donor. Retired homemaker Eleanor volunteers at her church, proofreading the bulletin and assisting in the office. Since the pandemic started, the couple hasn’t been able to volunteer or attend church, and Roy is missing his Navy club meetings. Even so, to stay involved in the community they love, they donate to the local organizations they care about.
“There are a few things on a national level that we support, but Reading is a community that needs financial help to continue to thrive,” says Roy. “It’s a very different culture and world today, and people don’t always know it’s important to give back to the community they live in.” Eleanor shared that she learned her philosophy of giving and serving from her mother who volunteered at the Berks Heim well into her 80s, and won an award for 17,580 hours of volunteer service driving senior citizens to their appointments. We are so grateful for Roy and Eleanor and their caring hearts to serve others at Opportunity House and in Berks County.