The written word is powerful, according to Colleen Gocken. In fact she has said that what was written in one little book has made all the difference in her life.
She is a person who lives to give. A Plano native, Colleen lived in Indianapolis for several years before returning home to live near her family. She has spent most of her life volunteering and giving money and resources to those in need. It all began many years ago, after reading a book by an author who recounted life as a homeless person. Colleen said she cannot remember the name of the book, but the author’s life story touched her in such a way that she felt driven to make a difference, one moment at a time, for the rest of her life.
Colleen purchased a few small items and a few snacks, and combined it with a few dollars, and bagged up everything. Whenever Colleen encountered someone in need, a homeless person holding a sign at an intersection, or someone sitting near a building, she would stop and give them “a bag of blessings,” and then go on her way, continuing this process again and again throughout the years.
“It was only a few dollars, it didn’t hurt me to give it,” she said. “Many people cautioned me about safety or were critical of my idea, but I never felt that it was for me to judge whether a person was deserving of it or not,” she said.
Whenever someone asks, why she would choose to do this giving, she quickly responds, “There but by the Grace of God go I.” She said she understands how valuable a human touch or word can be to heal the brokenness in another person. Colleen has volunteered to provide dinners for underprivileged youth in her neighborhood. “Providing snacks and drinks is easy, at least it was easy for me, and I cannot tell you how many times I would see these kids out about town, even years later, and receive hugs from them. They never forgot that I cared for them,” she said. “For a certain time, that person learned that they were important to someone else. That makes all the difference,” she said.
Colleen worked in several positions throughout her life, as a clerk at a community college, as a librarian, worked with a computer company, and even managed an office at a martial arts Dojo. Her life experiences have brought her to individuals of all ages, but especially to working with young people.
“I think that is why I feel younger than so many other people my age,” she said. “I’m 82, but my focus is younger, I guess.”
Colleen said often finds herself pushing senior citizens younger than her to stay involved in community activities and to socialize with others.
“I’m not much of a bingo player, but if that’s what’s going on, I will come out and play bingo,” she said. “I know that I need the socialization, too.”
When Colleen moved back home to the Plano area, she said that she truly felt what it was like to be lonely, and she knew she needed to get involved. As a result, she began attending activities at Fox Valley Community Services, even though in her own mind she did not feel like a senior. One of her first activities was to join the writers group. She loves to write for meaning, not for publishing, and she loves to encourage others to tell their own stories.
She found her life’s mission through reading the story of another woman, and that has made all the difference in her life and in the lives of countless others. Many across the country always will remember her. The kindness she has shown to others will resonate forward because of an unknown author and the words that Colleen read, because she empathized with the author, and because she decided to act on her feelings. That has made all the difference.
Barb Nadeau is the Community Relations Manager for the Voluntary Action Center of DeKalb County. Barb has worked in television, radio, and print media, as well as in volunteer coordination and networking amongst non-profit social service agencies. She is a freelance writer and television host. Contact Barb at bvnadeau@gmail.com.