By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Cheryl Bone
For years Millington resident Cheryl Bone has brought tears of joy and looks of genuine surprise to many as a volunteer. Bone has fed the needy, given clothes and shoes to children and donated to causes to help the poor. Working for several causes, Bone can be found either volunteering or in places bringing awareness to her charitable organizations. So it was no suprise she attended the 2014 Spirit of Giving Awards Volunteer Recognition Luncheon hosted by the Volunteer Mid-South Hands on Network last Thursday. The shock came when Bone’s name was called during the 38th annual event for Senior Volunteer of the Year. Bone won for Mid-South Convoy of Hope/Hope for the Mid-South, selected from 12 nominees. “It gives credibility to seniors who volunteer and also to our organizations we have here like Convoy of Hope,” Bone said of her honor. Bone is one of the founders of Hope for Mid-South which replaced Angel Food Ministries. She is involved with Volunteer Mid-South and as a coordinator for Outreach for 10,000 at Fairgrounds scheduled for Sept. 6. That event will feed 10,000 honored guests by 2,000 volunteers with 125 churches and 200 businesses and agencies participating. For more than 20 years Bone has helped organize outreach programs and fund raisers to help those in need. The $500 donation that came along with her award made the honor more meaningful. “No. 1, it means a donation to the agencies I represent like the Mid-South Convoy of Hope, that we can help buy shoes for children who don’t have them,” she noted. “It just means a lot of things to have any kind of donation. “It also means credibility to the volunteers who help me because they’re volunteering for an organization that has proven to grow volunteers,” Bone added. “The Bible says the older shall teach the younger. Because of that I feel like I am in a position too that I have to teach the ones younger than me by the life that I live on how they come up and give back to their community.” Joining Bone as a winner representing Convoy of Hope/Hope for the Mid-South was Eddie Echeverria for Youth Volunteer of the Year. Echeverria’s honor brought another $250 to the organizations. Overwhelmed by the donations and honors, Bone said she hopes the Mid-South recognizes the good works going on in Millington. The longtime volunteer said the reason she places do much dedication and passion into her causes is because it’s a Higer Power’s will. “Because God tells us to,” she said. “Isaiah 58 says if you feed, shelter and cloth my children, I will have your back and your front and will come fast when you call.
“If we want to rebuild what has gone wrong in our community today, everyone has to get in and do it,” Bone concluded.
