December 5, 2024

Average Joe and Jane make the difference

Everyone in this world wants to leave their mark. Some of us do it by becoming doctors, others become congressmen. Me, I write articles. But, sometimes I learn things from the strangest places. I am a huge Ben Stiller fan. I love his movies because they make me laugh and, in a strange way, they teach me something. One of my favorites is Dodgeball. It makes me laugh every time I see that old cripple throwing wrenches. But, this movie, while making me laugh, taught me that even “Average Joe” can make a difference.

This archived article was written by: John Keetch

Everyone in this world wants to leave their mark. Some of us do it by becoming doctors, others become congressmen. Me, I write articles. But, sometimes I learn things from the strangest places. I am a huge Ben Stiller fan. I love his movies because they make me laugh and, in a strange way, they teach me something. One of my favorites is Dodgeball. It makes me laugh every time I see that old cripple throwing wrenches. But, this movie, while making me laugh, taught me that even “Average Joe” can make a difference.
Once in a while, you find a person who doesn’t need to be a big person, have tons of money or education, or even write well to make a difference. Every once in a while, the “Average Joes” come out on top. Maren Hebdon and Dane Worwood are just such “Joes.”
Maren is an Architecture major here at CEU. She loves ping pong, and will argue, rather loudly, with anyone who says it is not a sport. Her favorite color is green, and her favorite movie is The Princess Bride.
She loves creating the things she imagines, and often expresses herself through ceramics. Her father built her a playhouse when she was a kid that has walls made of chalkboards, with solar powered electricity, and she still plays with it to this day. She is a member of the legendary Hebdon clan, and has so many relatives that have gone to this school that she has stopped counting.
As a result, just as her family before her, she volunteers in the SUN Center. She says that she loves the idea of non-traditional service, the type of service that others never think of, as opposed to shoveling people’s sidewalks.
Dane Worwood also volunteers at the SUN Center. He has always been involved in service, having learned young from a good friend the value of helping others. He says that service is addictive and like Pringles, once you pop the fun don’t stop. Among his busy schedule of dirtbiking, studying, and playing on his Nintendo WII, he always finds time to help others. He loves volunteering in the SUN Center, because he loves helping people, and loves the people he gets to meet through his service.
Maybe there is a little more to Average Joe than meets the eye. If anyone would like to challenge Maren to a rousing game of ping-pong, or would like to volunteer at the SUN Center, please contact Heather Gray or Kathy Murray, or call 435-613-5624.