ShareNet was founded with a giving heart and has served for 22 years in the generous spirit of its community donors and volunteers.
We usually profile volunteers who have been with us for a while, but now and then a newcomer’s contribution really stands out. No volunteer has been more generous with her time and heart recently than Sherri Luxon, who has been with us since last summer.
Luxon has had a big impact on our agency, utilizing her grocery experience to handle the warehousing part of our operation, organizing and rotating food. She has tirelessly devoted an incredible amount of time to ShareNet, volunteering most weekdays, often for the bulk of the day.
Luxon is from Lake Zurich, Ill. She survived a devastating car accident at age 11 which left her back broken in four places and a destroyed hip socket, but also gave her, as her mom put it, “a will to overcome anything.”
Luxon initially came to ShareNet as a client after being out of work for more than a year. She was bored at home and thought it was a natural fit helping out somewhere that had provided her with assistance. When asked what gave her energy for ShareNet’s work, Luxon replied, “No one should be hungry.”
She was used to sharing any surplus she had with her neighbors. Most people who work in food banks share a passion for sharing food and making sure it’s not wasted.
Luxon raises pigs, chickens, and tends a quarter-acre garden with a greenhouse. She sells her eggs and produce informally, putting a sign up on the road. She grows corn, beans, tomatoes, squash, tomatillo, and peppers, though she suffered like everyone through last year’s terrible growing season, when 75 tomato plants yielded five tomatoes. She’s used to relying on what she raises for her sustenance, and learned to can from her grandmother.
Luxon’s husband Mark is a heavy-duty mechanic and for many years they ran a local auto repair shop. Her son Jason graduated with a degree in physics and will soon go on to pursue his doctorate at the University of New Mexico in green energy and technology. His work is focused on a solar generator, no doubt influenced by his mom’s green lifestyle methods and self-reliance.
ShareNet is grateful for Luxon’s dedicated help; she has truly changed our operation. As always ShareNet has many in the community to thank who have helped out in large ways and small, with a donation or some other practical assistance. This month we’d like to single out these recent support heroes:
Art Ellison of ABE Computer Consultants, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Custom Neon, Hansville Art & Craft Guild, Janis Kelly of Tea Room at Port Gamble and For the Love of Chocolate, Jem Salon, Kingston Garden Club, Kingston Rotary, Kitsap Credit Union, Kitsap Sun, Walt Elliott and Bobbie Moore, Ed and Joy Ramey, and Soroptimist International of Greater North Kitsap.
