By Diana Henry - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
JANESVILLE (WKOW)-- The Jefferson Award recognizes volunteers who go above and beyond in their community. Each month WKOW highlights someone in our area doing just that.
A Janesville woman spends one night a month away from her own comfortable bed to help others down on their luck.
Kathy Schumacher is June's Jefferson Award recipient and 'Someone You Should Know.'
Kathy Schumacher is right at home at House of Mercy, a homeless shelter. Kathy volunteers with her husband once a month for the overnight shift. From 7pm to 8am, Kathy answers phones and more importantly lends an ear.
"We are just there if they need us," said Kathy. "There's been many times when I've been up until 2 in the morning because someone needed to talk. So you sit and you listen."
Kathy has been a part of House of Mercy since day one. Nearly 14 years.
"Before we opened our doors the building had to be completely washed and scrubbed down," said Shirley. "Kathy was on that original team of people."
Kathy gives back because the community of Janesville once helped her family. Their house burned down when she was a kid.
"I always wanted to give back and when they talked about the homeless center I thought this is my niche," said Kathy. "This is what I want to do."
And, Kathy doesn't just man the phone. Kathy often goes out of her way to help the families here.
"It's simple as somebody needing a pair of shoes," said Shirley VanHorn, House of Mercy Manager. "We would let her know what size they needed and she would make phone calls and we would have the shoes for the person."
There are a number of stories of Kathy helping just like that one. Shirley VanHorn hopes there will be many more in the years to come.
"Somebody who can stay for 14 years volunteering at the same place and dependable," said Shirley. "She's like a rock."
"It's rewarding for me," said Kathy. "It's really rewarding."
Nominate someone today for the Jefferson Awards.
