Meet Rachel Stillwell, Sharing Life’s volunteer of the month for August.

How did you get involved with Sharing Life?

First, I heard about the great work Sharing Life does for the community. Then, I saw a post from Sharing Life on Facebook that said they needed client intake volunteers. Over the next few weeks Sharing Life kept coming up in my thoughts. I felt like God was directing me to Sharing Life so I emailed Russell, a Sharing Life staff member, and here I am.

What is your role?

Client intake volunteer and anything else they need help with.

What’s most rewarding about volunteering with Sharing Life?

I love working client intake because I get to chat with new people everyday. Sometimes I get to practice Spanish with them.

What challenges do you face?

Sometimes there is a language barrier. I want to learn Spanish, so I can more effectively communicate with the people I serve. I like to practice when I can while doing client intake, but I really appreciate when fellow volunteers are willing and able to help me out when I need it.

How long have you lived in the area?

My family and I moved to the area in 2016 after my husband, John, retired from the Army. We love it here.

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Spending summers water skiing and kayaking with my family. My dad made a kayak for each member of the family. One of the most memorable trips was on the Rio Grande River near Big Bend National Park because it was an over night trip and we got to camp out on the river and sleep under the stars.

Are you an early bird or night owl?

Definitely a night owl. In my ideal world, no one would be required to get out of bed until well after sunrise.

What are your hobbies?

Quilting, baking, road tripping, taking bikes apart (sometimes fixing them). I like learning new things. My newest one is gardening (really I’m just trying to keep my plants in my flowerbed alive). Someday I’d like to learn to weld.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what’s something you could not live without?

My husband. We spent enough time apart when he was in the Army.

What’s something about you that readers would never guess to be true?

My kids think I make the best homemade honey whole wheat bread. My husband taught me how to make it after a friend from church taught him.