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Lawrene Thomas uses special talents to benefit others

Lawrene Thomas has made it a priority to give back to her community. Helping others has been important throughout her life.

Some might say that Thomas was taught this special quality by her loving grandmother. Born in Stotesbury, MO, Thomas’ grandmother reared her and her two younger siblings after their mother passed away.

Thomas was 5 years old when she lost her mother.

“Grandma was our angel,” said Thomas. “She never raised her voice at us and she never complained.”

On countless occasions, her grandmother would tell Thomas and her siblings how much she enjoyed raising them.

When Thomas was maturing into a young woman, she wanted to become two things: a mother and a teacher. Both were fulfilled. “I’ve been blessed,” she said.

Thomas became an elementary school teacher and enjoyed it.

“I taught back in my hometown; I gave back to my roots,” she said. “[The students] would pull more out of me than I ever knew I had, because of their enthusiasm to learn.”

Although she did not remain in the teaching world for long, Thomas said, she used the skills she gained throughout her entire life.

Once again, Thomas is found giving back to her community. This time, it is with Fallbrook People to People Services.

“It plays a vital role in my life,” she said.

Currently, Thomas volunteers at the center four hours per day, five times per week. It was a friend who introduced her to People to People nearly 20 years ago.

At one time, Thomas held a paid position as a senior aid at People to People, but recently she branched off into a volunteer role. At present, she is the home healthcare service coordinator.

Calls from people needing care in their homes, and calls from people who have experience and are looking for work in homecare, are routed to Thomas. Her job is to make a perfect match.

“Our contact with people is a sacred trust and it is a definite, profound privilege,” she said.

When a perfect match is made, it makes Thomas’ day, she said.

People to People Services is a free employment and placement service. It serves both individuals and businesses.

“People to People is very much respected by the people who have used us,” said Thomas.

Their areas of employment specialty include home healthcare, housekeeping, office/retail, restaurant, agriculture, construction and more.

It is a nonprofit organization vital to the Fallbrook community. “And it’s the community that supports us to keep our doors open,” Thomas said.

Thomas considers the other volunteers at People to People her second family.

“We are a group of enthusiastic people,” she said, “and I really look forward to my days in the office.”

Her fellow volunteers, Thomas said, are extremely talented and bring the best of what life has taught them in their respective fields.

Thomas believes People to People Services is a special place because of the depth of helpfulness and the sincere effort that is put into it.

It’s important for Thomas to share the experiences she has had in life and to pass them on to others. “To me, these experiences have been a gift to use and not to waste.”

Fallbrook People to People Services is located at 140 West Mission Road. For more information, call (760) 728-0175.

 

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