Jaclyn Lacy Gyger

Jaclyn Lacy is sophomore at Hershey Christian School in Hershey, PA and has volunteered singing in her church choir before she could read and has kept active in her church, volunteering in choir, playing chimes, hand bells, lay reader, nursery, puppet ministry, being a youth advisor, delivering food, helping out in the kitchen with meals and cleaning up and various mission projects.

After the events of September 11th, she came up with a solution of her own to make a difference. In a short time she raised about $800 dollars, distributing it to her local Volunteer Fire Department, the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.

Jaclyn Lacy volunteers at the Bethesda Mission, a homeless shelter, serving meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. She even got together with Toys-for-Tots and had them donate some toys so that she could hand them out to children coming to the shelter for Christmas dinner. She wanted to make sure each child received a Christmas gift. She has also helped out on their Mobile Mission where they meet at 10:00pm until 1:00am. They prepare hot meals where they stop at various places through the city of Harrisburg and provide those hot meals to the homeless on the streets. They also provide blankets, coats, socks, etc.

Because she has been touched by this shelter, she did a fast for about 40 hours to raise money. Her efforts earned $375 for her cause. But she didn’t stop there. Thinking of what else she could do, she contacted the Lieutenant Governor Katherine Baker-Knoll and organized a food drive throughout the capitol complex raising over 800 pounds of food for the shelter.

Working with her hometown at the Hummelstown Fire Company, she has helped with their doll shows, chicken barbecues, soup sales to ham-n-bean dinners to raise funds to benefit the Volunteer Fire Company. She also helps out with her local Police Department “Witch Watch” where she foot patrols the streets while children are “Trick or Treating” on Halloween to make sure they are safe.

She is also an American Red Cross Volunteer, and has made “Hygiene Kits” which includes toothbrush holders with toothbrush, soap dish, sponge, soaps, shampoo, cream rinse, tablet, pens, Chap Stick and a soft toy to be distributing for local fire victims.

Jaclyn Lacy is actively involved in helping with various Veterans organizations. She has created “GLACY’s Hero Blankets” to give to wounded Iraq War Veterans receiving treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC. She is actively involved with the 111th Fighter Wing Family Readiness Group, helping with their Family Day and Christmas Party by providing support with setting up, gift wrapping, games, crafts, face painting and cleaning up. She has collected books and videos to distribute to various Veteran’s Homes in Pennsylvania. Jaclyn Lacy has been helping out WHP580 with their “Support the Troops Rally” held at the Capitol, and helped raise funds for the Purple Heart.

Jaclyn Lacy continues to be active in multiple service activities. When asked why she volunteers she says: “I volunteer to help others no matter what their situation. I find it fun and personally rewarding, when I feel the gratitude and see the smiles gives me the hope and strength to continue volunteering regardless of how simple the act may seem.

Every time I help someone it makes me feel good about helping others, but more importantly it puts me in a position to make a difference in someone’s life. With each volunteer act that I do, I try to raise a level of my service. I am happy and proud to have made a difference in another’s life. The sense of accomplishment that I feel tells me that it was the right thing to do.”

“Coming together is the beginning…Keeping together is progress…Working together is success”