Don Lada

FLINT - It's a simple phrase, but it's one that continues to inspire Don Lada to serve as Christ served.

"God has no hands, but our hands do his work today."

One of six siblings, Lada, now 71, grew up on a farm in Northern Michigan with parents who loved, nurtured and taught him the value of hard work and service.

"There existed a great sense of community in a rural setting," said Lada, who married his wife, Dee, in 1960. "Neighbors helped each other without receiving or expecting anything in return. This was my first glimpse of embracing the idea of what volunteering is all about."

For many years, Lada has poured himself into the lives of children in the community, seeking to invest in the future the way his family, friends and neighbors invested in him.

"It has been said that children make up 25 percent of our population, but they represent 100 percent of our future," said Lada, who currently serves as a mentor at Washington Bilingual Elementary School in Flint. "I would do anything to help or protect a child. It just seems like the right thing to do."

Just a cursory look into Lada's background tells you all you need to know about where his heart his.

"It's obvious that children are a real focus of my time," he said.

Lada is a certified presenter of a safety program on abduction prevention for children, a member of a multidisciplinary team that reviews incidences of child death, Flint Classroom Support Fund board member, Education Foundation of the Flint Community Schools board member and a community representative for Family to Family.

Lada had his interest in mentoring reignited several years ago when while he was volunteering alongside members of the UAW at Washington Elementary. Seeing the response of the children as volunteers erected new playground equipment was all the spark he needed.

"I have always had a passion for and concern for children," said Lada, who says his desire to mentor comes, in part, from the experience of losing his father during his teens. "To see the eyes of the children when you walk into the classroom, not just because of me, but that they know someone cares about them is priceless."

For Lada, service is contagious.

To anyone who hasn't experienced the great rewards of selfless service, he has only this: It only takes one small step.

"Just start helping someone or an organization in a small way and you will see it grow into something bigger then you could imagine...and you can't stop," said Lada, who lives in Grand Blanc. "One can find opportunities to reach out to others through various agencies, organizations and seemingly endless community activities. Find someone who is hurting and go about meeting their needs.

"True might is not in words, but in action and service."

For Lada, service has provided him his greatest opportunity to grow spiritually.

"It is amazing how our community has embraced an ordinary person like myself and allowed me to live my lifelong passion of service to others," he said. "We are a truly blessed people.

"It's not what we get, but what we give that measures the worth of the life we live."