Neighbors Giving Back: Tetris Masters at JCFBA

Wayne Vettleson and Keith Stansbury, next-door neighbors who live just 300 feet apart, used to volunteer as firefighters. When that chapter ended, a mutual friend named Roland Faragher-Horwell, JCFBA’s Board President, stepped in with a new opportunity: come help load trucks for the Jefferson County Food Bank. They showed up, and they haven't looked back since.

Every Wednesday, the neighbors carpool to the Tri-Area location with their good friend Carol Robinson to load food for the Coyle pop-up and the Quilcene Food Bank. With Carol keeping the list, calling the shots, and directing the two men. Wayne and Keith work fast and efficiently, moving boxes like Tetris masters until the truck is packed and ready to go.

Neither one is interested in organizing or planning. "I just need to know what's going to go where," says Keith. "I'm not interested in organizing anything. Just want to show up and move stuff." Wayne agrees: "I'll just show up and [the food bank] gets labor."

That suits everyone just fine.

The group is retired and sees volunteering as a straightforward way to give back to their community. The logistics work out well, and Tri-Area makes it easy to add on errands, like a trip to the vet!

Outgoing and quick to laugh, Wayne, Carol, and Keith are exactly the kind of volunteers every food bank depends on. “The ones who show up reliably, do the work without fanfare, and make it all look easy. "

Interested in joining our volunteers? Sign up here!