Shining in our January Volunteer Spotlight…Brooks Nichols
About 5 years ago, Brooks Nichols heard this ministry mentioned at his church, First United Methodist in Newton. It was said that there was a need for volunteers, so Brooks decided to come visit and see if there was a place for him. There absolutely was, and a wonderful relationship was born. Brooks has faithfully volunteered almost every day since he began. He likes to come in the mornings, work for a few hours, go home for lunch, and then come back and work another couple of hours in the afternoon. We can pretty well always count on Brooks to be with us unless he’s out playing golf.
Brooks does a little bit of everything at Ashure Ministry. He flattens grocery bags, marks egg cartons, sorts and marks bakery donations, and even works on mailings when needed. His favorite task though, is checking the eggs that are donated from the local grocery stores. This is actually a very technical and diligent process that must be performed with great care. Ashure Ministry is one of only a handful of organizations in the state that is NCDA certified to distribute donated eggs. As such, we are required to inspect every egg that comes in for cracks, malformations, and other defects. Brooks uses a special light along with a tapping method, and he checks through all the eggs. This can be hundreds, if not thousands, of eggs on any given day. Brooks handles this like a champion and works through all the eggs with a smile on his face. The miss rate for a NCDA inspection is 10%, but Brooks has only ever received a perfect score since he’s been doing eggs for Ashure Ministry. The dedication Brooks shows to his craft is quite remarkable, and his work is appreciated by the ministry and our clients more than he can know. Brooks’s extraordinary work led to him being named the Charlie Bunn Volunteer of the Year in 2023!
One of the things we have done each of the past several years is throw Brooks a birthday party. He turned 95 years old this past year, so each passing birthday is very special. He said he always appreciates us doing that for him, and it is something we look forward to every year. Brooks also appreciates how Ashure Ministry allows him to do the Lord’s work. He feels it is part of our responsibility as Christians to take care of the less fortunate, and he is grateful for the opportunities Ashure Ministry has provided him to do just that.
Sadly, Brooks will be moving to Abernathy Laurels, and his time with Ashure Ministry will regretfully be coming to an end. We wish Brooks the best for the next chapter of his life. We will always look back fondly on the time we spent with him, and we are incredibly grateful for him and his service. Thank you, Brooks, for the countless things you’ve done for Ashure Ministry and the community we serve! God Bless you always Brooks!