A Few Good Men Who Give Back

Three volunteers say giving is personal.

By: Andy Greder | From the issue: December 2011

Photo: Marshall Franklin Long

Chris Hawkey, sports radio personality

Giving isn’t about getting, but three Maple Grove men know firsthand that giving back to the community has its rewards. They say it’s the feeling you get when you give. And it’s a feeling they are very familiar with.

“Doing something legitimate and something selfless, there is nothing more cleansing for your soul,” Chris Hawkey says.

“The feeling that you get when you help someone … just makes our community a little bit better,” Tim Huebsch adds.

“The one thing is you are always gaining more than what you give. It’s a wonderful use of your time,” Bob Munson concludes.

Giving is a Privilege

Bob Munson volunteers at ____ because of _____.

The 69-year-old Maple Grove man can fill in the blanks with a multitude of organizations and give a plethora of reasons why. After 40 years of working for social service groups such as the American Red Cross and Lutheran Social Service, Munson retired in 2006.

Now, he helps the American Lung Association, the Maple Grove Arts Council, the Maple Grove Historical Society and the list goes on.

“It’s only natural that I would be a volunteer after my career,” he says. “Because it’s what I’ve always done. I believe in making a difference with people wherever they are – in the community or the people that I work with.”

He called his career path a “privilege.”

As a young man, Munson got his start in social services during a Peace Corps mission in rural Venezuelan communities. As the director of Emergency Services for the Minneapolis chapter of the American Red Cross, he traveled to New York to assist with nearly 90 foreign families who lost loved ones during the 9/11 attacks.

“We helped them deal with their grief after the World Trade Center fell,” says Munson, who calls his career path a privilege. “It was extraordinarily emotional. It was particularly moving to deal with different cultures and religions and how they handle death, especially without a body. It was extraordinarily moving.”

These days, Munson and his wife, Sandra, can be found giving time at the Maple Grove Hospital. She plays the piano; he helps in the gift shop.

“Anytime someone can give to their church or community, it’s very valuable,” says Munson, an active member at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, “not only to themselves, but to their community.”

Bob Munson