Volunteering on Vacations

(June 22, 2012) - While most people are packing their bags to go to the beach or the amusement park this time of year, this week’s Billy Johnson Community Hero is spending his vacation giving back to his community. Jimmy Parsons spends 40 hours a week working for the Kentucky Department of Transportation as the Traffic Count Tech for the District 12 Office in Pikeville. He spends his vacation time every year, however, helping others.
"I do World Changers events and it’s through Southern Baptist. I’ve been in different states and all across the country doing this. And I take my youth group to them and they participate in it as young kids. First one I ever went to, I just got hooked.”

      Jimmy understands how important it is to mentor young people and teach them things that will help them in life. When he and his group aren’t traveling to help other people, Jimmy’s hosting groups of young people who come into our region and help.
    “They sacrifice a week of their time to come and sleep on a floor or on a cot and provide the labor for the low-income people in our communities. You’d be fascinated to see some of these kids; they’re actually good carpenters.”
     Jimmy Parsons truly believes in helping others live better lives. What vacation time he has left after his time for World Changers, he spends volunteering for other groups.
    “That’s not the only problem I work on. I work on Habitat, I’ve done two or three Habitat builds. And I do Higher Call, which is a church-building outfit. We’ve built two churches here in Pike County.”
    But Jimmy says he does it all because he feels led to do so.
    “I am a soldier for the Lord. I am a witness through him. And I do all things through His strength. Nothing on me, nothing for me, and I want it to all be for him.”
    Congratulations Jimmy Parsons, this week’s Billy Johnson Community Hero.