Changing the world isn’t always about money or power or notoriety, sometimes it’s about quietly doing little things that make someone else’s life better.
Take for example the Roland and Irena Tolliver family in Freeport. He’s a podiatrist in his work-a-day world; she’s a teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mom.
They have five children, some married, some still in school, another living abroad and still another with special needs and dependent on their collective love.
At Aquin Catholic Schools in Freeport, which the Tolliver children have attended, the Servant Leader program is one way a spirit of giving passes from generation to generation.
But the Tollivers have been practicing Servant Leadership at home for years.
“As parents, we did what we thought was best for our kids and the kids just followed suit,” said Irena. “I think being part of a family where you are always at service and you know you always have someone you are serving, sharing just comes naturally when you go out into your community.”
Both Roland and Irena have served on the board at Malcom Eaton Enterprises, a not-for-profit organization in Freeport that serves hundreds of people with developmental disabilities every day, helping them learn vocational and life skills that enable them to maximize their lives.
“Malcom Eaton is not faith based, but my faith always takes me to my community and service,” she said. “Nobody is different, and if they need my help I will help them. I think there is an appreciation too for the special needs population in the fact that they are a special group of people and they are a lot of fun.”
Irena has moved on from her service on the Malcom Eaton board and is working with other parents to find opportunities for their special needs children.
She said from the age of 3 to the last day before their 22nd birthday, children and teens with developmental disabilities can get a free public education. But after their 22nd birthday they experience what many parents call, “the day the school bus doesn’t come.”
“What we’re trying to figure out is how we, as a community, can respond to that,” Irena said. “Kids that are on the higher spectrum of developmental disabilities may be able to do some level of (study in) a college setting or they may be able to do some jobs with a job coach or maybe even an apprenticeship because they have those abilities, but at the other end of the spectrum, kids that need much more assistance need options too.”
Roland became involved early in the Freeport community and the family’s church. They attend St. Mary Parish where they serve as lectors and Eucharistic ministers.
He was involved with organizing the Holy Family Community Center and was a developer of Kid’s Kastle in Freeport’s Krape Park. He also works to provide for the underserved through his medical practice.
“One of the things I’ve always thought and even mentioned when speaking in public is that it’s about ‘service,’ spelled S-E-R-V-I-C-E not ‘serve us,’ ” he said.
His “aha moment” arrived years ago during Holy Thursday Mass.
“The priest really spoke to the whole aspect of the feet, not only the washing of the feet, but the feet as being the foundation of the body and keeping people upright,” Tolliver said. “As a podiatrist, it all really hit home for me and put things in perspective.”
That perspective led him to understand there is portion of the population in desperate need of medical care, but is without the necessary resources.
“We really try not to turn people away and if we cannot provide what they need, we try to steer them to the organizations that can help them get the services they need whether that is funding or medical management or whatever they may need,” he said.
Over the years the Tollivers have stayed involved sharing their time and resources and following their faith to set an example not only for their own family members, but for others who face challenges in their own lives.
“I think a big part of our whole family’s ministry is to realize what the needs are out there and to realize that there are underserved portions of the population especially in Illinois where we rank at or near the bottom for services for families with children and young adults with special needs,” Tolliver said.
“Whatever we can do to help benefit not only our own daughter, but other families as well has been kind of our calling.”