Hard work, community concern and prayer pay off

Published: September 8, 2010

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Rob Wheary/Staff photo Three Angels Message Outreach church volunteer Frank Ginnitz, left shakes hands with Disposal Management Services president Kenneth Deitrick, whose family business, Disposal Management Services (D.M.S.), answered the church's prayer of "donating a Dumpster" to allow continued demolition of a blighted house (background). At right is D.M.S. General Manager Fred Heimbaugh.

Leaders at Three Angels Message Outreach Church could have taken the same approach too many people do.

With a dilapidated building next door to its beautiful property (a former synagogue) in Shamokin, they could have whined and complained that no one was doing anything to rid the city of blight, that the mayor or city councilmen or code enforcement officer or someone somewhere had failed in their duties, that Shamokin may as well give up.

Instead, they acted. They began tearing down the neighboring property. And, when they ran out of money for the project, they did something that, while very simple, is rare: They asked for help.

Inspired by a 4-year-old who is part of the church family, they posted a sign on their marque along busy Route 61 that said, "Answer a prayer. Donate a Dumpster."

Kenneth Deitrick, president of Disposal Management Services (D.M.S.), saw the sign and answered that prayer. He's agreed to pay to haul away as many loads of debris as it takes for the home to be dismantled. From there, Three Angels will make use of the space for a play area.

This serves as an excellent example of being proactive rather than reactive, of being positive rather than negative, or counting on caring community businesses and individuals to help when asked. Apply this approach to many other similar circumstances and we might have a lot more prayers answered - and a few less blighted properties.

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