Lori Sanders

“Paying it forward” through random acts of kindness is what Shepherd Middle School Secretary Lori Sanders does best. Despite this being a matter of public record, she can’t help but maintain an air of humility: “It takes the whole staff,” she corrects us, “That’s how I like to see it. I’m just a part of this.” Team players in tow or not, Lori still stands out as an unstoppable force of nature who sponsors student council fundraisers, feeds first responders and hospital workers, assists with school dance planning, and explores every avenue possible to give back to our kids. All these feats are in addition to her office duties. By her own admission, none of these charitable acts initially came naturally to Lori. “I had never thought I was that person,” she explains. The transformative effects of a personal loss altered her perspective and amplified an already present but muted side to her character. Her story demonstrates how survivors continue the legacy of those who have passed in the place that meant most to them.

Lori has busied herself with Shepherd’s secretarial workload for almost seven years, but she was around long before that. Originally a lunch cashier in the cafeteria, she moved up the ranks to receptionist before eventually landing the secretary role. The empathy she brings to the secretary’s chair is ruthless in its persistence, and she channels that energy into multiple student fundraisers. As a sponsor for the student council, she raises funds to offer students congratulatory gift cards for academic achievements or helping friends, organizes ice cream sundae parties, and spearheads the “pay it forward” initiative.

“We pay it forward with a random act of kindness,” Lori says. “We select somebody out in the community to receive lunch. We’ve done the fire department; we’ve done the hospital.” Through her “pay it forward” movement, some of our most treasured community member groups receive a surprise lunch from local restaurants on the school’s dime, all done in appreciation for their hard work. We want to avoid future surprises with insider information, but another type of medical worker, a practitioner of the paw and hoof, is next up on Lori’s random act of lunchness list. Money to cover the lunches is collected from fundraising or donations. In addition to feeding the hungry, Lori and the students have also made gift baskets donated to local nursing homes. The winner of a Lori-sponsored door decoration or dress-up contest may receive an ice cream sundae party or gift card, and monthly drawings for gift cards provide incentives for kids to become more involved. Donations from parents and Kroger community rewards programs directly impact the well-being of students through Lori’s efforts, which have always sought to move charitable contributions into the hands of the children for whom they’re intended.

It hasn’t been easy to give so effortlessly. Faced with the immeasurable grief and life-changing circumstances brought on by the loss of a loved one, Lori believes in hindsight that the pain has burned away the binds of strict self-involvement. “When somebody passes away, you deal with grief and loss. Somehow, that part of me came out,” she says. “I don’t really understand why, but it did.” The part that emerged originally wanted to “fill a hole,” but after years of giving back to her home base, it evolved into something else entirely. “Now it’s just natural,” she admits. “I mean, this is what I do.”

“I wouldn’t say it was all through grief and loss,” Lori interjects, correcting the record. “I think it’s just when you’re going through something so important like that, you see the good around you that helps you through things. I think the good that I saw brought that change on.” The continuation of bonds that occurs when carrying out the will on earth of a departed loved one is an indescribable and personal experience. The least we can take away from Lori’s example is that the people we love, gone or not, still have much to teach us about ourselves. The results are surprising sometimes, but it may just be the most potent memorial available to allow a loss to inspire such meaningful gains in the lives of our student population.