Church leader volunteers to head food bank

September 9, 2009

By Brenda Rader Mross

The Wellington

 

 

As fate would have it, directors of the Wellington (Colorado) Food Bank couldn’t have secured a more suitable successor.

Leadership of Wellington Food Bank operations will continue under the umbrella of its long-time sponsor Zion Lutheran Church. Lead minister Mark Gabbert has agreed to take over for original founder and long-time facilitator Phyllis Nase.

Nase, a member of Zion, announced her plans to retire from the food bank last month along with another long-standing volunteer, Paula Cardona.

While distributions take place every other Tuesday at Wellington Community Church, Zion Lutheran Church has sponsored the Wellington Food Bank since its origin in 1988.

The constantly growing program quickly outgrew the nearly 100-year-old building at 8322 Second St. Wellington Community Church has been providing storage and distribution space at no charge ever since. Nase reported 99 households are now registered.

On a recent Sunday morning, the 51-year-old Gabbert said, Nase expressed concern to church members about the local food bank’s future.

“It is her baby,” he said, “and critically important to the community. In talking about it, I got this sudden compulsion to step forward. I teach and preach about following Christ’s example to be a servant and being willing to serve. I realize how visibly blessed my life is and the responsibility that goes along with the goodness we receive.”

No stranger to community service, Gabbert, a Denver native, has lived in Wellington since 1993. In addition to his part-time duties at Zion, he is a substitute teacher for Poudre School District, and spends three-plus hours a day at Wellington Middle School as the seventh-grade head football coach. A day after that season ends, he’ll move indoors to coach wrestling.

“I love kids,” Gabbert said. “If adults spent more time with kids, it would change the world for both ends of the spectrum.”

Gabbert is also currently helping a family build a house, so he is counting on the congregation’s and community’s help to ensure all the food bank bases are covered. Every other Monday, food must be ordered from the Larimer County Food Bank, of which the local pantry is a member, and then picked up in Fort Collins the following morning and unloaded in Wellington for same-day distribution. During the school year, the food bank is open from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Patrons must bring proof of income and address.

“This is going to be a team effort from the congregation,” Gabbert commented. “We’d like to see more involvement from the community at large. We especially need some younger help Tuesdays with unloading. There’s some heavy lifting to be done.”

Acknowledging the enormity of the work, Gabbert praised Nase for doing a remarkable job and for her continued friendliness and warm demeanor.

“People know her and love her,” he said. “At the same time, she’s got this ability to be as strong as she needs to be.”

Nase said she thinks Gabbert will do just fine.

“I was relieved,” she said upon hearing the news. “And sad. I know it’s time for me to go, but…”

Nase won’t be leaving anytime too soon, though, as she and Cardona will be training Gabbert and any new volunteers throughout the transition. Nase thanked all involved for “being so patient” and for their support over the years.

Due to the Labor Day holiday, the Wellington Food Bank will distribute this month on Sept. 15 and 29, and then on Oct. 13 and 27. Dates are published throughout the year in The Wellington Community Calendar.

The Zion Lutheran Church membership is planning to convert the 5,000-square-foot open lot south of the church (outside of the playground area) into a community garden to raise produce for the Wellington Food Bank.

“It wasn’t being used for anything, and this seemed perfect,” Gabbert said.