As someone who was born and raised in Wadena, my role in giving back to the community has been evolving and ever-changing and will continue to be for the rest of my life.
My first glimpse of giving back to the community was when my friend Jane was diagnosed with cancer. Despite having awful circumstances, she was committed to helping others. At just 8 years old I remember how determined she was to make and sell as many duct tape wallets as possible so that the money could go towards finding a cure for cancer. Jane’s mission quickly spread to her classmates, and it became our mission too. I remember making a ton of wallets to help fill all of Jane's orders. On my own I also made wallets and had lemonade stands to help her.
Being an active volunteer didn’t stop in my early teen years. In fact, those were the years I really figured out the impact just one small person could have in their community. I started singing in church, at the Empty Stocking fundraiser, and sang the National Anthem at some local events in middle school. I also became a Vacation Bible School Leader and coached some youth basketball. At this point in my life I started to value all of the connections volunteering was helping me make. Not only was I making friends and acting as a role model for younger kids, I was learning about and making friends with the adults in the community as well. Many of the relationships I built in those years are still important to me today.
In my later high school years I became a member of WDC’s NHS and BPA chapters. My role in those was primarily to help our town. As the BPA president I was able to help organize a holiday toy drive, bringing over 800 toys to Someplace Safe in Wadena. In NHS I volunteered to take free senior pictures for those who couldn’t afford them, which ended up being more kids than I could’ve imagined. It was incredibly rewarding to be able to give my classmates an opportunity that they otherwise might not have gotten. I also assisted with numerous blood drives and other projects, including Caleb’s Run and Day of Caring. My eyes were opened through these projects and I began to see that there are people in our community that need help, and I can do something, even if it’s something small, to help them.
I’m newly out of high school now, and I’m excited to see how Wadena will continue to be a part of my life in the coming years. Volunteering in our community has taught me how to be a more compassionate individual, among many other important things, that I will take with me wherever I go. Even if I don’t end up staying in Wadena, the town will always have a big place in my heart. Because of this, one of my main goals is to establish a scholarship once I’m into my career to help WDC students with the cost of college. This town has given so much to me, and I would love to repay what others have done to get me this far in life.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This essay was submitted and selected as the top essay as part of the 2022 Miss Wadena Pageant. The essay portion of the pageant is a separate entry that earns the writer a $600 scholarship provided by past Miss Wadena members Tracy Adams Kooman, Miss Wadena 1983; Leslie (Lundquist) Werden, PhD, Miss Wadena 1984; Maria (Moore) Clarys, Miss Wadena 1985; Jennifer (Swenson) Health, Miss Wadena 1986
The essay is to specify a moment when they have or will immerse themselves in the Wadena community through service and/or leadership with a goal of bringing joy, guidance, support, goodwill, etc. to Wadena.
The Trust Project
