Page 8 - FALL Sojourner Newsletter-11202020

8 THE SOJOURNER

2020 Essay Contest Winners

The following essays received the top honors this year at the SECOND PLACE
national level contest. The topic of the essay was “Describe a Betty C. Kang of Los Alamos, New Mexico was awarded Sec-
person you know, or know of, who also personifies one of the ond place. She received a $1000 and a National Sojourners
Points of Light and has made a difference in your community Plaque. Kit Carson #447 sponsored the student.
through their service and sacrifice?”
No One Can Do Everything, but Everyone Can Do Something
FIRST PLACE Throughout my life, one of my biggest inspirations, and the
Siera A. Millard of Clarksville, Tennessee awarded First place. most selfless person I have met, is Mary Zemach. When I visited
She received a $2000 and a National Sojourners Plaque. Fort Mary a couple of months ago in her home, she told me about her
Campbell #177 sponsored the student. journey helping kids when she moved to Los Alamos, NM in
1976. As a Harvard graduate, Mary once had a highly desirable
Volunteering is altruism in the form of action. When someone job, nut she gave up on her career so she could invest all of her
dedicates their life to it, the embody the essence of what it time to helping others. “It wasn’t a tough decision,” Mary
means to make it a difference. The Thousand Points of Light proudly said with a smile, “No once can do everything, but eve-
program’s mission it to cultivate this idea into a world preroga- ryone can do something.” And she certainly did something.
tive. Cassandra Wyatt, Ft Campbell Station Manager of the Intent on helping kids in group homes who would have noth-
American Red Cross, is one perpetrator of this mission every ing when they turned 18, Mary pursued an idea to open a thrift
single day. Working with the Army, she is in harm’s way each shop where all proceeds funded scholarships for those kids. Alt-
time she deploys. Mrs. Wyatt epitomizes committing one’s life hough it was just a one-story shop in a small town, a lot had to
to helping others. be done to keep it profitable. Many donations, including clothes,
Truly a member for life, Cassandra has either volunteers or toys, appliances, and furniture, were deposited to Mary’s front
worked with the Red Cross for over forty years. Beginning in porch. She then brought them ten miles to where the shop was
1978 she taught swim lessons as a volunteer until 2014. Her first located. “People would donate all kinds of things,” Mary remi-
paid job began in 1996 and she worked hard since then. In addi- nisced. “Once, someone even donated a recliner. That sure was
tion to working over sixty hours per week to keep up with the hard to get onto my truck!” Not only that, Mary also organized
demands of the Fort Campbell station, Cassandra has been de- the donations, priced items, and recruited volunteers.
ployed numerous times to do what needed to be done. Each With help, her thrift store became a significant asset to its
time, the inherent danger did not stop her, but only convinced community by helping the environment. People could donate
her of its importance. She believes that “public service is sacri- their possessions instead of throwing them out. This system of
fice” (Wyatt) and lives by that notion. reusing and recycling benefited many, including Mary, who ges-
Throughout time since that first paycheck, Cassandra has tured to her jacket, bought from the shop. “Yes, it was a lot of
worked tirelessly to create the future leaders of the world with work, but it’s always worth it,” Mary reflected, closing her eyes
the positions to do so. Not only is she an excellent role model, in warm memory.
but she also tries incredibly hard to give children every oppor- But there’s more. Soon after she moved to Los Alamos, Mary
tunity that she can. Calling her youth volunteers, her “kids,” she learned the food at local grocery stores were thrown out upon
truly cares for each one and instills in them her own sense of expiration, despite being in good condition. Realizing that local
dedication and altruism. Through positive reinforcement and shelters and food banks are constantly in need of food, she set up
attention, Cassandra is able to take frustrated youth, give them a food delivery system. Every week, Mary and her helpers
responsibility, and change their path forever. She said that if she would drive to the local grocery stores, collecting fruits, vegeta-
could do anything for the world, one choice would be to eradi- bles, breads, and canned foods before dropping them off. She
cate child abuse and neglect – to make people appreciate the never had trouble filling up her Ford F-150 with an 8-foot long
youth in our world. truck bed. Mary’s blue eyes glowed when she described the
In addition, Mrs. Wyatt is the essence of what it means to be time, she delivered a pineapple to a local shelter. “There was this
ethical and moral. Always standing by her own principles and little boy, who was so excited to see a real pineapple. He held it
the principles of the American Red Cross, she will be the first to up like it was gold, exclaiming how he was holding an actual
point out if something is wrong. This is especially important pineapple!” she said, her smile radiating through the room,
when dealing with the soldiers that protect our nation. In fact, showing me again how happy helping others made her
“Today the Red Cross provides about 422,000 services to … the (Zemach).
military … every year” (Red). If those 422,000 services are done Mary’s passion and hard work has inspired many others, who,
unethically, the consequences would be severe. With Cassandra to this day, continue the system of delivering food to local shel-
as station manager, it is assured that everything is done the way ters and food banks. As I left Mary’s home, all I could think of
it should be. was how much she affected others’ lives, how I wanted to help
Without being a celebrity or a famous politician, Cassandra others, and what our community would be like if everyone did
Wyatt has touched the lives of thousands of people through her something like Mary. (Zemach, Mary. Personal Interview. 5
work with the American Red Cross. For her, volunteering is October 2019.)
truly from the heart and makes change in the world – something
she does every single day. Her parents once taught her that all
people can be a part of the solution, and she lives by that to this
day.