Building a Stronger Defiance County, One Volunteer at a Time

Statue at Defiance Public Library with quote plaque "The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers." - Terri Guillemets

Outside Defiance Public Library sits a statue of a young child smiling upwards while beneath it is a quote from author Terri Guillemets – “The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers.”

The warm embrace of volunteers has long enveloped Defiance County. They touch everything around the county, and the residents who volunteer bring more than helping hands to projects – they bring a love of their community.

"Our donors and volunteers are at the heart of Defiance Public Library System — champions of learning, access, and opportunity,” shared Taryn Lawson, communications coordinator for the library system. “Their generosity and dedication have shaped not only our success, but the successes of the communities we serve. Libraries are more than buildings with books — they are lifelines for education, connection, growth, and innovation. With the support of those who believe in our mission, we continue to be a place where everyone belongs.”

Abby Wolfrum, executive director of the United Way of Defiance County, stressed that volunteering transforms both the volunteers and the community in many different ways.

“An active volunteer base is extremely important because it helps local organizations expand their reach, respond faster to community needs, and provide services that might otherwise be limited by staffing and funding,” she explained.

The city of Defiance knows the value of volunteers well.

In April, a week after a tornado ripped through the area, the city held its Clean Up Your Parks Day. Approximately 500 people came out to help clean up debris including sticks, trash and debris to restore the city’s parks to pristine condition.

Volunteers at Latty's Grove Park, Defiance, for Clean Up Your Parks Day.

“It is extremely beneficial for (us to have) these volunteers because we only have so many hands and time available to cover a lot of areas for clean up,” said Christy Feeney with the city.

There were 44 bags of trash and 47 bags of leaves collected along with 23 piles of sticks and eight truckloads of sticks during the event.

Feeney urged anyone interested in volunteering to do so, and welcomed volunteers to come back for next year’s Clean Up Your Parks Day.

“Please consider volunteering your time again as it greatly benefits the community in getting parks and areas cleaned up and ready to go before the summer season begins,” Feeney shared.

In Defiance County, the United Way offers volunteer opportunity email alerts for anyone in the community. Non-profit agencies and organizations in the county inform the United Way of any volunteer opportunities or in-kind donations that are needed and that information is shared with the public.

“We share this information a few ways – listed on our website, Facebook posts and to our email database,” Wolfrum remarked. “This email goes to nearly 1,500 registered people.”

Backpack Buddy volunteers

Some of the unique volunteer opportunities include helping with the Backpack Buddy program (where more than 500 bags of weekend supplemental food is given out during the school year), helping with the summer food program, Lily Creek Farms Therapeutic Riding Center and volunteering with festivals such as the United Way’s Hot Air Balloon Festival in August.

“Simply put, we couldn’t operate such large-scale projects like the Backpack Buddy (program) or balloon fest without helping hands,” Wolfrum acknowledged. “A thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but we are truly grateful for the time and energy our volunteers give to make these programs possible. Those volunteers help strengthen the community and create meaningful experiences for local families.”

Lawson pointed out that the rich community support has bolstered the district for upcoming projects.

"As we prepare to expand into a much-needed annex building across from Defiance Public Library, we are emboldened by a rich history of community support to take on this project and offer our patrons even more,” she shared.

The project is just one example of how volunteers make a real difference and leave a legacy in a community for themselves and others.

“Volunteer opportunities can transform an organization by increasing capacity, bringing in fresh energy and ideas and helping it serve more people effectively,” Wolfrum declared. “They can transform the volunteer by building confidence, strengthening community connection, and giving that person a better understanding of local needs. Ultimately, it creates a two-way benefit: organizations gain needed support and volunteers gain purpose, perspective, and relationships.”

Simply put, Wolfrum said "volunteering is one of the simplest ways to make a real difference close to home.”