FLORENCE — Lighthouse Ministries recognized its volunteers for their services during its annual Illumination Luncheon on Tuesday at Carolinas Hospital System’s Floyd Conference Center.
Board member Dr. Vivian Gallman-DeRienzo of Florence-Darlington Technical College stood in for board president Jodi Beauregard, who was out of town.
“Without you we could not sustain the organization,” she told the volunteers. “You form the grassroots leadership that makes it possible for us to meet the needs of Lighthouse Ministries.”
Cecilia Meggs is director of ministry outreach. She said the volunteers are “very concerned, very passionate and very involved” in making sure the mission is fulfilled at Lighthouse. And that mission is to be “a source of light in times of darkness.”
Featured speaker was Tom Keith, president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. He oversees the operations of the foundation and assists the board of trustees in setting policies and goals. Keith has more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit management in five states.
Keith’s topic was “The Decision.”
“This is the decision about what we do in this world of service that we find ourselves in, the world of nonprofit work, the world of ministry,” he said. “Some would say what we do is easy, this touchy, feely business of serving others. But I say the business we are in can be stressful, unpredictable, frustrating and, sometimes, an insurmountable mountain that we are trying to climb.”
He said those working in ministry and nonprofit work are expected to raise money, write grants, manage finances and budgets, perform marketing, manage volunteers, provide services, minister to others, be mission driven, provide an important need to the community and accept lesser pay than those in the for-profit sector.
But why do they do it?
“I believe that nonprofit and faith-based work is one of the most noble professions out there,” he said. “And it’s not because of the money or the glory; it’s because you care. It’s because all of the sweat equity, lack of money, endless weekend and evening work are the means to an end.
“The end game is that you make a difference. You make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate.”
Keith challenged the volunteers to stay the course, to continue to be crusaders for those less fortunate and to stay true to their mission and principles during the good and hard times because the rewards will always be great.
“You have been called, so let’s all continue our journey of service and leadership and compassion for others for there is no other who is out there,” he said. “It is just us and what we do matters. It matters a lot and it’s the right decision.”
J. Austin Watson has been the executive director of Lighthouse Ministries for 11 years.
“What we are really trying to do here is to illuminate what we do and expand out mission,” he said. “Our volunteers are invaluable to us.”
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