Volunteer Spotlight | Ron Culver
Big Sky Bravery wouldn't be what it is today without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers. To celebrate their generosity & introduce you to some incredible individuals, we invite you to read our monthly Volunteer Spotlight!
This month: Ron Culver
My first Task Force with Big Sky Bravery was in June 2019. I started contributing in any way I could after a serendipitous meeting with Josh (BSB’s Founder). Josh’s charisma and passion for doing what was needed were so overwhelmingly contagious that I asked if I could help in any capacity, including sweeping the floors at the office.
The mission of BSB struck a chord with me. So many great organizations offer the opportunity to help or contribute to military personnel (active duty or veterans) and their families, but BSB was different from others. The ability to make a difference for active-duty personnel within the SOF Community really made an impact on me.
Americans owe a large debt of gratitude to the members of our Armed Forces and those other organizations make it possible to show that gratitude in many important ways. Those that BSB supports, however, are often not recognized as they deserve; not just for what they do, but what they need in order to continue to do what they do. I wanted to be a part of an organization that worked to fill that need. The importance of it is so much greater than anything I can express in words. The emotion it triggers inside me is what fires the passion to do whatever I can, whenever I can.
My favorite BSB memory occurred in two parts. The first took place around a campfire while on an overnight camp outing on a TF. I had the opportunity to talk with a couple of the recipients about the struggles they were facing in their personal lives. One of them opened up about a couple of topics that he had not discussed with anyone previously. His emotions grew heavy and the conversation became very deep and personal. It was clear it was a topic he wanted to get off his chest but had not previously been able to. I was honored to be a part of that, but the second part of that memory is what cemented it as one I would continue to hold as special as anything else in my life.
Weeks after the completion of the TF, I received a call from him, thanking me for being available to talk about that topic. He said it not only helped him in his personal life but also improved his work life. His performance at work was suffering from the mental turmoil of what was happening in his personal life. He explained that knowing others (in the civilian world) also shared those problems and it wasn’t just him, had allowed him to start to unload the burden of them. He ended up utilizing resources available through work and was doing better than he thought possible - just a few short weeks after his TF ended. I will take that feeling to my grave as one of the best I have ever had. Only my wife and daughter have given me emotions of happiness greater than the one I have because of that conversation.
Big Sky Bravery’s motto: “GIVE MORE THAN YOU TAKE”, applied to my life long before I knew of the existence of BSB. I’m an individual with few talents but the couple I do have can often be of benefit to others that don’t have the knowledge or resources to take care of themselves in those capacities. Believing that you get more out of helping others than you do in helping yourself has driven me to help others wherever I can. The fact that BSB not only upholds that same value but has made it a motto to operate by each and every day, creates a bond between myself and the organization that cannot be forced; It is organic and second nature to me. It is tough to instill that mentality in anyone - they have to discover it on their own. For those that have it as part of their inner being, it allows powerful things to happen. BSB makes powerful things happen through its mission, motto, and volunteers. “GIVE MORE THAN YOU TAKE” is a key ingredient to that important recipe in my opinion.
When I’m not volunteering for BSB, you’ll find me working as Vice President and Market Manager for Stockman Bank in their residential home lending department. I’m thankful to be able to support a group of professionals that make it their mission to help Montanans and their families build a house into a home. A number of my coworkers are also involved in BSB and I’m fortunate to work for a company that understands the importance of community involvement as well as supporting organizations like Big Sky Bravery. I’m thankful to Stockman Bank for giving me the flexibility and encouragement to volunteer with BSB.
V/R
Ron Culver
