Meet Laverne.

She is a devoted volunteer with a strong faith.  She served on the Trinity Lutheran alter guild for 22 years before joining the Good Shepherd church in 2005.  She doesn’t think of volunteering as work.  She says, “It’s a blessing. You receive 10 times more than you give.”

Between paperwork for the church, printing programs, changing the alter paraments with the church festivals, and assisting with services on Sunday and Wednesday mornings, she still finds time to set up coffee and goodies for Bible study.  When it comes to serving as a volunteering, Laverne follows a Bible verse from Isaiah, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Before moving to the Good Shepherd Apartments, Laverne owned a beauty shop in downtown St. Cloud for three years.  She later opened the shop in her home for six years.  Laverne worked at Stearns Manufacturing for many years before retiring.  Sadly, her husband passed away shortly after her retirement, so she decided to continue working.  When she officially retired, she had worked at Stearns for 26 years.

Laverne’s father lived at Good Shepherd and when she retired, she decided to move in as well.  Although she likes visiting with neighbors, she has to turn down chats in the halls when she’s headed to the chapel to volunteer.  “Everyone is so friendly.  They wave and greet you in the halls.  In fact, I have a hard time getting where I need to go.  I would never get there if I stopped to chat with everyone,” Laverne shares.

We are honored to have Laverne call Good Shepherd home and we are grateful for her endless dedication to the Good Shepherd Church.