Donna Drum took a unique approach to retirement.
Instead of simple relaxation, a once-in-a-lifetime trip or taking up a hobby, the Rexford woman decided to travel daily to downtown Albany and clock 40 hours a week (or more) at the Capital City Rescue Mission.
I’ve been so blessed in my life that I like to give back and it’s time to do that, said Drum. `People come in and are so very appreciative, there’s a great need.`
For the past six years, Drum has worked her way up the volunteer ladder. She started out getting a feel for the place, working on newsletters and other banal tasks, but pretty soon it became clear that Blessingdale’s was where she belonged.
`I really like the clothing room so when I came in more frequently, I came to what is now Blessingdale’s and I’ve been doing it ever since,` said Drum.
Drum is director of the clothing center and manages around 20 volunteers and a couple staff members. They spend their days receiving, tagging, sorting and displaying the merchandise and clothing that comes to the mission.
`We put it into the store in a neat, orderly fashion and people can come in to the mission and take whatever they need, free of charge,` said Drum. `I’m here by seven in the morning and try to get out by 4:30 p.m. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.`
Blessingdale’s is the mission’s `store,` a one-stop-shop for people to pick up everything from clothing to appliances that are all donations.
`We give away clothing, household items, small appliances, televisions, linens, anything to set up a household,` said Drum.
Drum is one of roughly 500 volunteers who spend time helping the mission each year, with some volunteering one day a year, others once a week and some on a monthly basis. The volunteer base is a mix of city residents, suburban residents, people who benefited from the mission and some who are mission regulars right now. Drum likes that combination.
`I have the opportunity to work with some of the volunteers who are staying at the mission and it gives me a chance to see how sometimes their bad decisions led them to where they are,` said Drum. `But, they also are good people.`
There is plenty that Drum contributes to Capital City Rescue Mission and the struggling Capital Region demographic, but she also gets something invaluable out of it.
`I have had quite an education, particularly in the drug culture, which I had no knowledge of and how it created major problems in people’s lives,` said Drum. `They just need someone to have faith in them and confidence and give them a leg up sometimes.`
Many people tend to have a soft spot for women and children in need, said Drum, but for inexplicable reasons, she’s drawn to men who are down on their luck.
`Somehow men just touch me when they’re in need. I think a lot of times men are viewed as something less than what they should be when they’re not successful and they need somebody to just respect them and give them credibility and care about them,` said Drum.
Capital City Mission Director of Development Sue Jones said she’s in awe of Drum’s dedication.
`It’s a huge help and a blessing to have someone like Donna serve our mission. She not only has compassion for people who come through the doors, homeless and needy people, but also has a real compassion for the volunteers who work with her and some of those people are people who were homeless at one time that she supports and now they are also helping by volunteering,` said Jones.
Jones said each and every volunteer is critical to the mission’s livelihood but Drum brings a little something extra.
`She is one of the extraordinary volunteers. We do have others that volunteer on a very regular basis and very sacrificially once or twice a week, but I have to say Donna really goes above and beyond most of the volunteers,` said Jones.
Volunteers donate their time at Blessingdale’s, in the city’s kitchen cooking and serving meals, doing office tasks, speaking at the chapel, helping out at the learning center and the free health clinic and anything else that needs doing.
Last year, the mission served 215,998 meals, provided 56,826 nights of safe lodging, gave 2,085 free clinic visits and distributed 284,994 articles of clothing.
`We want to share the love of God in a tangible way to people in need through providing meals, shelter, clothing, recovery programs, medical services, employment system,` said Jones. People who care offering help to people in need. We depend on the whole community to do that.`
The mission is funded solely by donations and fundraising.
`I think the mission on so many levels is such a wonderful organization,` said Drum. `It’s just a great place to be.`
Drum was chosen as the first `Capital Hero` for the month of June. Capital Bank and WTEN partnered to create `Capital Heroes,` a campaign to recognize everyday heroes at local non-profits each month.
`I was taken aback. I feel honored that they chose me,` said Drum.
The Capital City Rescue Mission is located at 259 South Pearl St. in Albany.
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