The Following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE by Ashton Greer and Nicole Van Hyfte
Molly Goodwin and her husband Terry reside in Danville with their family, and their motto is that you get out of your city what you put into it. Molly was born and raised in Vermilion County, and after attending college at Lincoln Christian College and marrying Terry, they returned home to Danville and have been invested here ever since.
Terry is the Director of Adult Education at DACC and works part-time at Second Church of Christ. Molly is the Extension Services Manager at Women’s Care Clinic. She works with dads and pairs mentors with fathers who want to grow in their parenting. In addition to their community-engaging professional roles, they give back so much to the people through an organization that they founded in 2018 called Serve Together Vermilion County.
Serve Together Vermilion County is an organized day of service in the community followed by a celebration of unity in the evening. During this day, dozens of team leaders take on identified and selected projects across the county. Team leaders work with teams of volunteers who meet on that specific Saturday to tackle the needs of local nonprofit organizations, ministries, and individuals. This event has been taking place for four consecutive years in Vermilion County, and has doubled in size since its inception. Just recently, on June 11, 2022, 28 projects were completed by 317 engaged volunteers!
Although Molly and Terry are the primary organizers of this event, Molly insists that the sponsors and leadership team behind Serve Together Vermilion County are instrumental in its success. Seven core volunteers are leading the organization and coordination of this event, and their motive is to continue building unity between churches and neighbors throughout Vermilion County. Molly reflects on how it all started. She says, “We were at a monthly pastor’s lunch discussing how to continue creating unity across the county and I had just read a book called Small Town Jesus and wanted to encourage all of the churches to serve where we live, right now. You do not have to move to serve. There are some amazing opportunities right here in our town.”
Molly and Terry both love Danville, and it shows. Molly wants to remind everyone to “Be kind to your neighbor – it is that simple.” She says they love the people here and are amazed by those who work behind the scenes to give so much to this town. She says, “It gets me every year that people give their time, money, and leadership to Serve Together Vermilion County. People go above and beyond as team leaders and volunteers. Thank you.”
Molly and Terry, we extend the same heartfelt “Thank you” in return. Thank you for how you give your lives, personal and professional, to love others so well.
To any reader who wants to learn more about how to get involved in Serve Together Vermilion County, email servetogether@yahoo.com.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
