Today we said a bittersweet farewell to Rod Willey, PRFC delivery driver extraordinaire! The mission of this organization is to "Get Food Moving" in the Piscataquis region. Rod has spent his time with PRFC quite literally connecting food cupboards and people to pallets upon pallets of food. More than just shuttling food from point A to point B, Rod embodies the generous spirit, creative problem solving, and heart that I have come to associate with this organization.
Rod has been with PRFC in some capacity since the very beginning of the organization. Before PRFC was even called PRFC and it was but a dream and a community research grant, Rod was there cheering it on! First serving as a volunteer, then a board member, and then switching over to delivery driver.
"Rod was not a founding board member, but he came on very early," said Steve Grammont, PRFC Operations Manager. "He helped set up the basic governance stuff that we needed and then helped shape the strategic vision that we are currently fulfilling.
"In February 2019, Rod joined the PRFC team as an employee," added Steve. "Initially he helped with building up our infrastructure and misc. COVID response stuff. He started driving in summer of 2019 for our Senior Farm Share, deliveries to Sangerville food pantry, and moving large amounts of food around using our truck. In December 2020 we started doing deliveries to Good Shepherd Agencies. He was there for the start of all our delivery and warehouse operations and has put his stamp on all of that."
Steve describes Rod as "cheerful" with a "can-do attitude and a decently strong back! We’re going to miss the bugger."
When I first started working at PRFC, I went on several big truck deliveries with Rod. He spoke to me about the regenerative nature of his work at PRFC. He told me that he appreciated the connections he had made to many wonderful people in the region. Rod told me that his work had allowed him to "meet people that renewed his faith in humanity."
"This is a crazy little petri dish of a place that's doing nice things for people," said Rod about PRFC. "It has been great to be here."
Goodbye, good luck, and thank you, Rod!