The View from Here

From Executive Director Jeff Brull, Spring 2019

For those fortunate to have known “The Audubon of Moths,” Dr. John Cody, it was not hard to grow in wisdom just being around him. To a class of eight-year-olds he once reportedly said, “Forget the condor, snow leopard, and panda. Pick some little musquash, guib, or buzzing thingamajig that nobody thinks about. Adopt it. Care about it. See that it gets what it needs: its food, its space, pure air, and good water. Succeed in that and the condor, snow leopard, and panda will be okay too.” 

I can be easy to look at big problems as too complex and expensive for our limited resources to affect. We’d like to make a million dollar gift or volunteer to a cause about which we’re passionate, but we can’t find the time, energy, or resources. We tell ourselves we’ll wait until we retire or win the lottery. As Dr. Cody suggests, however, we don’t have to set out to solve world hunger or save the whales. Pick something you love right here in your own community. Nurture it, care for it, give it what it needs, and you’ll make an impact.

So many elements of healthcare can be “too complex” or “too expensive” to feel like we can make a difference. The HaysMed Foundation was established to give anyone the ability to make an impact by stewarding resources, pooling them over time to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors and friends. I’d like to close by welcoming our two newest board members, Mr. Chris Brungardt and Mrs. Nancy Curtis. We look forward to their experienced leadership in helping the Foundation achieve its goals, both big and small.