DENVER — Volunteers often combine their hobbies with their desire to help others and 7Everyday Hero Sara Galenbeck is a great example.
She works for Volunteers of America, loves cycling, and volunteers with Meals on Wheels.
"I have a cart I borrowed from a friend and it just hooks onto the back of the bike, and all the parts of the meal fit perfectly in it," Galenbeck said.
Galenbeck's volunteering efforts are fueled by pedal power and a genuine care for people in need.
"She is super friendly and outgoing so she really connects with people," said Director of Volunteer Services at V.O.A. Bradley Gulley.
Galenbeck helps thousands of Coloradans every day through her work with the Foster Grandparent Program at Volunteers of America. She also volunteers as a mentor.
"I am a mentor to a 12 year old. She's from Thailand," Galenbeck said.
And then, twice a month for the last three years, Galenbeck loads her bicycle cart with food and delivers meals to Denver's Five Points neighborhood.
"A lot of those seniors don't see anybody during the day so delivering the meal is like their one interaction," Galenbeck said.
"I think she makes them feel comfortable. She brings a little bit of the outside to their home," Gulley added.
Galenbeck has recruited her friends Sara and Molly to ride along with her on her Meals on Wheels route.
They watch over the food cart while she while she greets the clients right at their door.
For Galenbeck, volunteering comes naturally.
"In the summertime my dad was like, 'You're not going to sit at home. You're going to go volunteer.' And so that's what we did as kids," Galenbeck said.
Volunteers of America touch the mind, body, and spirit of people in need. Sara Galenbeck just happens to use a bicycle to get there.
Mitch Jelniker anchors Denver7 in the mornings from 4:30 to 7 a.m. He also features a different 7Everyday Hero each week on Denver7. Follow Mitch on Facebook and Twitter. Nominate a 7Everyday Hero here.
