Author: Dan Clouser

My mom was a giver, so was my dad.  They each gave in their own unique ways.  My mom never had a ton of money, so she gave her time in any way that she could.  My dad was an over-the-road truckdriver, so he, on the other hand never had much time, but was certainly able to donate financially to a cause that he believed in.

Some of my first memories as a child are going along with my mom to deliver Meals on Wheels.  My mom wasn’t one to just deliver a meal and move on to the next stop though.  She delivered a meal and visited with the people that she was delivering them to.  She literally became their friend.  She would sit and talk with them, ask them how they were doing, and most importantly, listened to their answers.  She was ever present with them.

If there was something that she could help with, she was there, without hesitation.  Between her and my dad, I think that is the main reason why as soon as I became an adult, I became heavily involved in volunteerism.  It’s also one of the main reasons why the nonprofit organization that I founded, the BIG Vision Foundation was so committed to getting our young players involved and understanding the importance of giving back.  I was a product of what being involved in volunteerism at a young age could result in.  It was second nature for me to give back.  It was the only thing that I knew.  By instilling that same value into our young players, we would be creating a ripple-effect that could be passed on for generations to come.