In 2025, Houston’s Lisa Skifton was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year.
This year, we recognize someone who could be described as a renaissance volunteer.
He’s a man of many talents and knowledge in the realm of volunteerism.
His name is Steve Strickler.
There were 12 candidates nominated for this year’s Volunteer of the Year award, but we could only choose one. Steve stood out in the crowd of very worthy nominees in part because he received a total of seven detailed individual nominations.
Humble, kind, organized, helpful, empathetic, compassionate, hardworking, dedicated, and selfless.
Those were some of the words used to describe Steve from his multiple nominators.
Steve has a long list of volunteer commitments he has made since moving to Chatfield in 2011, after he married Debra Collum on May 29. Many Journal readers may recognize Debra’s name, because she is the pastor of Chatfield United Methodist Church and she is a regular contributor to the “Pastor Devotions” column that appears in this newspaper each week.
While the majority of Steve’s career, from 1982 to 2014, was spent working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., his time and talents outside of work have made an indelible impression on the people of Chatfield.
Since moving to the Chosen Valley, he has immersed himself in nearly every opportunity to serve for the greater good.
Steve’s lifelong commitment comes from his upbringing. His father was a pastor and his mother was a social worker, a driving force behind his desire to volunteer. As he shared, “I grew up caring about people and taking care of people in distress.” His parents showed him the way at a young age, leading by example.
One of his volunteer ventures in Chatfield was with the Chatfield Brass Band Music Library starting in 2015. He always enjoyed playing saxophone in high school, but hadn’t picked up an instrument in over 50 years. Eventually, members of the Chatfield Brass Band convinced him to test his skills on a baritone saxophone to see if he could fill in where they needed help. He took the instrument home one night and he found out he could still play, so he became a fixture of the ever popular brass band.
Steve has also led the praise team at Chatfield United Methodist Church, singing on Wednesday evenings with a small group that leads the congregation with hymns and anthems during Sunday worship services.
After he retired from the Mayo Clinic in 2014, his wife Debra had been talking about whether it would be feasible to start up a food shelf for the Chatfield community. In September 2015, Steve made it happen. With a lot of collaboration and support, the Chatfield Community Food Shelf became a reality.
Steve didn’t know how to start up a food shelf, so he visited other food shelf locations. He learned a lot from the Spring Valley Food Shelf. Today, the Chatfield Community Food Shelf, located in the basement level of the Chatfield United Methodist Church, serves more than 2,000 pounds of food per month to those in need. According to Steve, they average between 50 and 70 individuals, and each person can take up to 15 pounds of food items per month.
This program has brought many denominations together, including the Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians and Methodists – all working together to serve those in need.
With a congregation of around 200 people, the Chatfield United Methodist Church may appear to be a place of worship from the outside, but it’s actually become more of a community outreach center.
This church provides food to those in need, and they also started up a medical loan closet that includes wheelchairs, walkers, canes, crutches, and shower chairs. This church has become a community resource.
Along with his service to the church and food shelf, Steve has donated his time and energy to Meals on Wheels in the Chatfield area.
He’s even tested his talents with theater. In 2016, he was part of the cast for “The Little Mermaid” as part of the Western Days Wits’ End Theatre production. Since then, he has been a part of the stage crew for the past seven years.
During the past 15 years, Steve Strickler has become a part of the fabric of the Chatfield community. He has always been willing to step in where there is a need, even if it wasn’t something he had done before.
He has volunteered his time with the Chatfield Community Food Shelf, Chatfield United Methodist Church, Meals on Wheels, Chatfield Brass Band, Chatfield Music Library, and Wits’ End Theatre.
And, this is why he will be missed.
In June, Pastor Debra Collum will retire from the church. Steve and his wife will be moving to Illinois to be closer to family.
For Steve, he said he will miss the people he has gotten to know. “The Manahan family, Denise and Gary Pagel, Pam Thieke and Ellen Bryant – all of the volunteers I’ve worked with. Members of the congregation and community.”
He shared that he feels his most significant volunteer work relates to getting the Chatfield Community Food Shelf off the ground. Steve is very grateful that Pam Thieke and Ellen Bryant will continue forward with that mission.
Each year, the Volunteer of the Year can choose to have a $250 donation, sponsored by the Fillmore County Journal, made in their honor to an organization of their choice. Steve requested this donation be made to the Chatfield United Methodist Church.
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