Volunteer Voices: Mary Specht
Teaching and volunteering go hand in hand, according to Mary Specht.
“We feel more fulfilled when we volunteer. Presenting your abilities to others, you will be fulfilled and it gives you a purpose when you wake up in the morning.”
With a reputation for a true heart of gold, retired school teacher Mary spent years teaching elementary, junior and senior high school students, as well as graduate students at Lake Technical College too. In 2017, she saw a newsletter that said Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter needed people, so she reached out to Volunteer Services Manager Carlos Beron and learned of the plentiful opportunities where she could help families in need and make an impact in the community.
The match was a perfect fit and she has since been a loyal Habitat volunteer.
Other than her love for dogs, cats and music, Mary has also loved continuously engaging in a range of volunteer opportunities for various organizations in the neighborhood. Her love has even reached globally by sewing clothing for people in developing nations.
Her devotion to all she does has certainly been an inspiration and a source of encouragement to others, her contributions making a significant impact on many lives. Mary believes anyone can volunteer and brighten someone’s life as long as you are “willing to spend time and commit yourself to what needs to be done.”
At the Habitat Lake-Sumter Eustis office, Mary volunteers weekly entering data
Mary likes that she is able to help with administrative work. When asked what her favorite memory working in Habitat’s office, she states with the sweetest smile, “when I finish each week’s work…..I enjoy being able to help people, meet new people and, of course, spend time doing good work in the community,” says Mary.
“It’s a good opportunity to enjoy life.”
Mary identifies with all of the core values the Habitat Lake-Sumter exemplifies, and suggests that,
“We feel more fulfilled when we volunteer. Presenting your abilities to others, you will be fulfilled
and it gives you a purpose when you wake up in the morning.”
The diverse number of volunteer opportunities offered at Habitat Lake-Sumter keeps our volunteers fresh and excited for the next project. According to Mary, the number of ways people can get involved makes each and every volunteer opportunity feel special and she encourages others to get involved to join in on the feel-good fun.
If you have decided to pay it forward, whatever your reason, volunteering your time can be a personally fulfilling experience. For those interested in helping out at Habitat Lake-Sumter, please reach out directly to our Volunteer Services Manager, Carlos, at 352-483-0434 EXT 119