Meet Pat G. – LUM Superstar Volunteer
Spotlight on Volunteers – A Vital Part of LUM
Patricia S. Garrott and her husband, Floyd, were childhood sweethearts growing up in Battle Ground, Indiana, where they raised their family and eventually moved to West Lafayette. Pat earned a BS in sociology and an MS in Counseling & Personnel Services, both from Purdue University. She and Floyd are members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and have three grown children (all who have earned at least one degree from Purdue) and four grandchildren. She has increased her service to the community since retiring as the Senior Executive Associate Director for the Center for Career Opportunities at Purdue.
At LUM, Pat has been volunteering with the Good Samaritan Program for over six years — and was one of the founding volunteers of the Immigration Clinic when it was established in 2014. She still occasionally teaches Citizenship Classes but regularly volunteers, one morning a week, meeting clients who need emergency financial assistance. Pat shared that,
“LUM is a wonderful thing in our community. My role is so rewarding. LUM only pays a portion of what the family needs but more importantly we share other community resources, give them the tools they need to begin to develop skills to be more self-sufficient, which in turn gives them hope and dignity.”
Pat & Floyd are also LUM donors.
“We’re comfortable giving to LUM because we know that all of the money is going to help local children and families,”
Pat stated.
In the community, Pat also volunteers working with fifth grade students in Battle Ground with a reading initiative and serves on a local library board of directors. For fun, she travels, spends lots of time with her grandchildren, attends Purdue sports (women’s basketball, men’s basketball and football) as well as Purdue stage shows and Butler basketball games (her husband’s alma mater). Pat also enjoys spending time with her mother who is 94 years old.
Pat encourages others to volunteer regularly with LUM, especially the recently retired, sharing that,
“It will give YOU back so much more than you can ever give.”
