Patty Shay volunteers her time picking up food from the Harp’s Grocery stores for the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas.


FOOD BANK OF NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS Patty Shay grew up on Chicago’s southside where her fam-


ily’s social life was their church. “Both mom and dad did a lot of volunteering at church.


Dad was in printing. If the church had a benefit or play, we did the programs and had to make sure we folded them at home,” she said. Giving came naturally. Shay moved to the area in 1976, the day after she got mar-


ried. Her husband’s father had retired in Mountain Home and asked his son Kelly if he wanted to go into the appliance busi- ness together. They opened Shay’s Appliance. “I took one look at the lake and never looked back,” Patty


said. When her daughter became the development director at


the food bank and said the organization needed help picking up food, Patty volunteered. Shay picks up excess food from Harp’s stores every Tues-


day and transports it to the food bank. “They give bread, doughnuts, cookies, pies. Whatever they


have leftover. They are incredibly generous. Most of us have too much to eat and it’s incredible to think people don’t,” she said. Shay is also in charge of meal packaging for Bridge Bash,


the marquee event for the Food Bank of North Central Ar- kansas. The past two years, they have packaged 100,000 meals in less than 4 hours. Starting in June, Patty begins to muster volunteer teams.


She approaches the banks and churches, but on Bridge Bash day, people come out of the woodwork. “The whole community comes out. I am stressed out in the


month of September, but every year we meet our goal. The random families that come out is so impressive. It is beautiful to watch. The Girl Scouts, the schools. People in this commu- nity are incredible,” Shay said. The day is energizing and fun. Loud music plays as every-


one comes together to pitch in. On that day, people only have to donate an hour of their time, so it’s an easy way to give. Shay says volunteering is “the least I can do. There are so


many people who do a whole lot more. It is a blessing to your- self. It makes you feel good. You can’t get better than helping someone who is hungry. Number one thing a person needs is food.”


Living Well i March/April 2018 13


Patty Shay volunteers her time picking up food from the Harp's Grocery stores for the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas.


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