By Jill Olson
A work crew of fifty employees from Wausau Homes painted, repaired, renovated, and organized at The Salvation Army on April 10-11 during the company’s third annual Servathon.
A creation of Wausau Homes President Jay Schuette, Servathon aims to help charity organizations finish projects that aren’t first in line for funding.
“We like to go where we are needed most,” Schuette said. “The faith-based ministries really get us excited, to be able to free up employees’ time so they can minister.”
“We are so thankful for Wausau Homes coming alongside us to support our mission by bringing hope to the hopeless through the Gospel,” said Lt. Na Thammavongsa, Corps Officer at The Salvation Army.
It is that passion for ministry that fuels Schuette. “We know the transformation that can happen with Jesus Christ within the ministry. With Servathon, transformation also happens within our employees.”
Paul Mathis is a Senior Marketing Coordinator at Wausau Homes and was one of two in charge of the work projects at The Salvation Army. “This dining room down here serves 100 to 110 people every day, I don’t think people realize the need is that great…. They feel very proud to do something that is going to benefit someone else.”
Wausau Homes donates more than $10,000 in supplies each year for Servathon, as well as paying its employees their regular wage to participate. But it is not uncommon for employees to donate their own time getting ready for the projects.
“A lot of people are doing things outside of what they would normally do,” Mathis said. “Office staff are down on their hands and knees, scrubbing toilets, floors, and coming back, ‘I’m done with that, what can I do now?’”
The yearly event ends with an employee meal at Wausau Homes, where the employees are asked to share their take-away. The word “humbling” continued to come up, especially with the crew that worked at the shelter.
“They were seeing the people directly,” Mathis said. “We got in at six, and [the residents] were getting out of the way so work could be done and asking, ‘Do you need me to move something?’… They were offering to hold the door open so we could paint…. [Employees] were very humbled by that.” They were also struck that the shelter was at capacity.
After the employees share their experiences, Schuette speaks.
“I make the point that we are created to work, that work is part of our worship and ministry. That ministry can be done every single day on the job,” he said.
Wausau Homes also completed projects at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. Nonprofits that have benefited from Servathon in previous years include Neighbor’s Place, Raptor Education Group, Rawhide Boys Ranch, and Little Lakes Memories, Inc.
