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The Review December 29, 2015 STERLING

Running on Faith A lot of babies have been kept warm and dry, thanks to a local teen BY CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN

STERLING – Six years ago, Brigette Vasquez, a Whiteside County Health Department caseworker, drove to the Sandrock family home and picked up donations of a couple bags full of baby clothes, diapers and the like, items that had been organized by a then-9-year-old Faith Sandrock on the family’s dining room table. These days, the family needs a shed on its property to store the baby bounty, and last month, they packed a truck and trailer to the gills and drove donations to the department. It won’t be long and Faith, now 16, will be able to drive donations over herself. She’ll get her driver’s license Wednesday. But she’s been driving an effort to fill one of the county’s biggest needs since founding the Help Keep Babies Warm & Dry program 6 years ago. Donations are accepted year-round at New Life Lutheran Church in Sterling for families in need of baby supplies. Between the Sandrocks, the congregation, community, and a generous donation from Thrivent Financial, the program delivered 14,158 items, nearly 10 times the number Vasquez picked up in 2010. “My faith has grown so much through this,” said Faith, a sophomore at Rock Falls High School. “I see the need, and it inspires me to see the importance of continuing to give.” Faith loves hearing from the health department’s

caseworkers about the smiles – and tears of joy in many cases – on clients’ faces when they receive goods they otherwise couldn’t afford. And while Faith isn’t seeking credit, it warms her heart that Vasquez tells families where the donations came from. What’s less than heartwarming is the fact that the department will likely go through the items in about 5 weeks. “It just makes you want to do more and collect more, because there’s a big need that needs to be filled,” she added. And to think it all started with a Bible lesson. During a children’s sermon, pastor Bill Sullivan picked Faith to come up and gave her $5, telling her to turn it into something bigger by the next week. “She was just a young child when it started,” Sullivan reflected. “And the program has grown along with her faith. It’s been impressive to see the way it’s taken on a life of its own.” The program is one of several at the church, which also has a Giving Tree program that helps families in need and seniors at Christmastime. “This congregation has been amazing,” said Faith’s mom, Kathy, who helms the Giving Tree program. Sullivan said the church has bumped its tithe up from 10 to 15 percent, and that its benevolence giving eclipsed $120,000 this year. He said that half of it will stay in the Sauk Valley. “I think a lot of what we’ve done here developed out of that initiative

that Faith started,” Sullivan said. Thrivent donated $500 toward purchasing items last year. This year, it contributed $550 – $300 toward buying items and $250 toward fundraising. And those adorable fliers you might have seen around town? Visual Imaging in Fulton designed them, and donated its services. Faith plays volleyball, basketball and softball, is a member of the youth group and the sophomore class president on the Student Council. Oh, and she and a couple of classmates helped start up the school’s new Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter. “I love being busy, and I think I get it from him,” Faith said, pointing to her father, Gary. “That’s very gratifying, and I’m very proud of her,” he said. And for those with the desire to follow her lead? “Just go for it,” Faith said. “You’re not going to get turned down, if you’re trying to do a good thing.”

By the numbers

Since its inception 6 years ago, here’s how many items the Help Keep Babies Warm & Dry progam has collected, purchased and delivered to the Whiteside County Health Department: 2010...................1,474 2011...................1,708 2012...................2,687 2013...................4,835 2014* ...............12,609 2015.................14,158 * – First year Thrivent Financial donated funds

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Faith Sandrock, 16, founder of the Help Keep Babies Warm & Dry program at New Life Lutheran Church, stands Monday at the church in Sterlingalongside a poster designed – and then donated – by Visual Imaging of Fulton. Thrivent Financial has also donated to the 6-year-old program each of the past 2 years.

How to donate Donations to the Help Keep Babies Warm & Dry program should be brought to New Life Lutheran Church, 702 W. Lynn Blvd., Sterling. All donations go to the Whiteside County Health Department for families in need of baby supplies. Call Faith or Kathy Sandrock at 815535-1185 for more information.

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