Buck Thoma
When Lutheran Service Society's program office in Bellevue, Pa., is in need of tender loving care, staff members always know who to turn to: resident volunteer handyman, Norman "Buck" Thoma.
Buck has volunteered with the agency for the past eight years. He comes in each Monday and Friday and picks up his "honey do" list front the front office. He changes light bulbs, patches paint and plaster, installs shelves, insulates windows in the winter, and much more.
"I do anything that needs to be done," he says. "It keeps me active."
Thoma, whose wife volunteers at Lutheran Service Society's PrimeTime Senior Center, says that his favorite thing about volunteering at this office is the people. "They're just great people to work with," says Buck. "They're fantastic."
And the feeling is more than mutual.
Says Janet Strahosky, an administrative assistant at the office, "Buck has plastered, patched, painted, cleaned, inspected, and worked every inch of the Bellevue office. He has saved us thousands of dollars in repairs, and his unlimited knowledge of contracting work has cut down on the time paid contractors have had to spend on locating a problem or finding a solution."
She continues, "This guy is always pleasant to be around. Ready to joke with anyone and willing to move something, only to move it back and then back again. His grumblings are good-natured and make you smile. He won't say 'no' to any request -- even the unreasonable ones."
Thank you for keeping us up-and-running, Buck!