These three, in their vintage lime green Pongo shirts; I love these people. You’re looking at more than 20 years of Pongoing experience between them. They’re part of our Pongo Power Pack, the nucleus that keeps us Pongoing. Chelsea, on the left, she’s been Pongoing since Day One. Darla arrived a few weeks later, and Stefan, just a little bit after that. He was a ride along one day, agreeing to Pongo because his girlfriend, now wife, invited him to help. He’s still here. We’ve been through a lot together, babies and bunnies, dogs and cats and more, we’ve welcomed them home and we’ve helped say goodbye; there have been weddings and funerals, new jobs, new cars, new homes and new dreams. And lots of laughter. But through it all, together we’ve Pongoed.
What’s truly remarkable here, in case you missed it, is that we’ve been at this for just a bit more than seven years. And that’s why having three Pongoers with 20 years of combined experience is such a big deal. Because we’ve got people like this behind us. But it’s not just these three, it’s everyone who Pongos, as our average volunteer tenure is more than five years. And that is remarkable!
I could go on and on about all the folks who wear their Pongo shirts, who get up and give it their all on their Pongo Sundays. What they do is more meaningful than they may even know. Like yesterday, it was another Portland scorcher and our warehouse meant we dripped with sweat the entire time, yet when we finished, we were the better for it. Because we were there, helping those in need when they needed us most.
And this is why we Pongo.
Sit. Stay. Eat. Live. thepongofund,org
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