The Following is this Week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Ashton Greer and Nicole Van Hyfte
A friend of David Garver’s says, “He makes the community a better place to live just by being here. Dave is a genuinely good person.” After meeting with David myself and hearing about his heart for people and for this community, I could not agree more. David came to Danville with his wife, Carol, and his four daughters in 1982 and has resided here since. He has pastored at Ridgeview Baptist and Muncie Baptist churches locally and a few other churches before he came to Danville, totaling 52 years of vocational ministry. Carol taught in Vermilion County schools for 26 years before retiring.
David says he loves the church, he loves this community, and he loves his Downtown neighborhood that he and Carol decided to retire to in 2007. They purchased a home on Pine Street through the City’s Renaissance House Program, and later purchased the lot to the side of the house. He says through a joint effort with other neighbors and the City, the neighborhood has turned into a safe and nice area to live.
David not only serves in his church and in his neighborhood, but he has also been involved in many volunteer organizations. He was an original founder of Danville’s Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Chapter and served on the board for 26 years. He still serves with Habitatfor Humanity as an advocate for families through the Family Nurture Committee. He served on the Center for Family Services Board of Directors for more than a decade. He is a Sunrise Rotarian and has been since 1999. He says, “We find ourselves by giving ourselves away. In this giving of ourselves, we bless others and receive blessings of our own.”
“My wife and I chose to live in Danville all of these years because it is a great place to live.” For David, it is that simple. Even in retirement, David is still serving, and it makes me wonder if maybe we get back from a community what we put in. Thank you David (and Carol) for your decades of service here and for your positivity and generosity of spirit.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
