HCLS Benefits From
"Professional Volunteer"
LSS volunteer Rich Skoglund
had been an electrical engineer by trade, working for 17 years for
Medtronic Inc., a medical devices manufacturer. In 1996, he felt a calling
to do something else, but he wasn't quite sure what that "something else"
was.
"I had a good job, and I was
doing good things for people, but I wasn't getting that close to those I
helped," Skoglund said. "I felt a calling to do something else, but not
even I knew what it was. I tried to be a faithful servant and steward of
God's gifts."
Skoglund left Medtronic, and
used his previous training as an engineer to become a licensed master
electrician. He now runs his own business that allows him to be a highly
skilled "volunteer" for LSS and other organizations. Rich donates his
services as an electrician to LSS Home and Community Living Services and
Opportunity Partners, which both own and operate homes for the
developmentally disabled. Rich also works on new homes for Habitat for
Humanity.
"For LSS and Opportunity
Partners, I work on older homes, which is much more difficult than the new
home construction I work on for Habitat for Humanity," Rich said. "Through
experience and working with other electricians on the job, I've learned a
lot about remodeling older houses that are being converted to group homes.
I've always tried to make the homes as safe as possible for the
residents."
LSS leases homes to create
Supported Living Services sites (SLS) for its clients. Experienced
contractors are often needed to update and customize these homes for the
specific needs of future occupants. Every construction dollar saved is
money that can be used to meet client needs.
Unlike Medtronic, Skoglund
Services, Inc. does not attempt to make a profit from its services. Rich
donates much of the labor, supplies and permit costs he incurs working on
LSS homes and the homes of other organizations, writing them off as
business expenses. He said that the percentage of jobs he is paid for is
in the 5-10% range.
About the enormous value of
the materials and services he donates, Rich said, "I can provide a service
that would otherwise be fairly costly to these organizations."
Many people ask Rich, "How can
you afford to do this?" His wife, Bonnie, was completely supportive when
he made his decision to leave Medtronic, but reactions from others were
mixed. His kids were confused by it at the time, but now joke with him
about being busier than before he "retired." He says that he hasn't
retired, he is simply doing something else. Rich's wife is a kindergarten
teacher in the Buffalo school district, and they live off her income and
benefits, as well as some previous investments.
"I am open to whatever God is
leading me to," Rich said. "Being an engineer, I would have liked to plan
ahead, but I had no idea it would go in the direction it did."
Rich is so committed to
following his "calling of giving," that, as he left Medtronic, he set up
charitable remainder trusts with several organizations, including LSS and
Opportunity Partners. Rich has an older brother who is developmentally
disabled, and works in a production facility in Plymouth run by
Opportunity Partners.
Most of the metro area LSS
group homes have been worked on by Skoglund Services, many of them several
times. He also has worked on many of the Opportunity Partners group homes
and on close to 100 homes for Habitat for Humanity.
"I have real flexibility in
what I do," he said. "I am able to be there for family and friends when
the need arises." In addition to all the volunteer work he does as an
electrician and contractor, he also volunteers for his church.
Rich was honored for all his
volunteer work as one of the Eleven Who Care, sponsored by KARE-11 TV, on
September 3.
"The Eleven Who Care event was
incredible. You can tell KARE-11 really believes in volunteerism," Rich
said.
Rich was nominated by his
daughter, and chosen, along with 10 others, by a board of directors from
several hundred others nominated. LSS is extremely lucky to have skilled
contractors like Rich Skoglund who make significant contributions of time,
skill, materials and love.
