Pastor Chuck Winters from Sunnyside, Washington, has alerted us to a current article featuring Sherman and Wanda Schafer, long time Sunnyside Grace Brethren Church members, who were honored by the Sunnyside School District for more than 20 years of volunteer service to students and staff. Nathan Zakahi pastors the Sunnyside church. This is an excerpt. To read the entire article, click here.
Local couple finds volunteer work in schools satisfying
photo courtesy of Curtis CampbellSherman Schafer volunteers, helping students at Pioneer Elementary School with a reading assignment.
Jennie McGhan
There’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from helping others through volunteer work.
That’s according to Sherman Schafer, who volunteers at Sunnyside’s Pioneer Elementary School.
He and his wife, Wanda, have volunteered in Sunnyside schools for nearly two decades.
Mrs. Schafer, however, volunteered at Chief Kamiakin Elementary School until recently. Mr. Schafer said health issues has prevented her from continuing to help students with crafts as she has done for so many years.
“We like to volunteer. We like the teacher and the students we work with,” said Mr. Schafer.
He said Mrs. Schafer enjoyed helping students learn crafts, particularly needlepoint crafts for different holidays.
“She often purchased the supplies herself,” said Mr. Schafer.
He said Mrs. Schafer fit volunteering in the schools into her schedule when she wasn’t busy with home projects.
The couple hasn’t kept their time to volunteering in the schools, however. They volunteered with 4-H clubs for several years. Mr. Schafer has also volunteered his time delivering meals to seniors and maintaining the Outlook Cemetery.
