WS Chronicle

By Lindley Curtis 

Larry Stanley is one of the SECU Family House’s longest-serving volunteers, and he is no stranger to hospitality. 

After settling in Winston-Salem from Ashe County, Larry’s mother opened her doors to friends and former neighbors who needed a place to stay when they came to town for medical care. Growing up, Larry wasn’t surprised to find someone sleeping on the foldout couch in the living room before an early doctor’s appointment or staying in the spare bedroom during chemo treatment. 

When Larry learned that the Family House had just opened, he felt drawn to our mission, and he quickly became a valuable part of the Family House team. He and his brother, Scott, built the beautiful shelves in our library, constructed and installed the valance frames over every guest room window, installed the hand rails in every guestroom bathroom, and put the kick plates on all of our many doors.

Now, nine years after helping to literally build the Family House into what it is today, Larry continues to come on a regular basis to provide important preventative maintenance that keeps our HVAC units and other equipment running smoothly. And he’s ready to hop down from his ladder, listen and offer encouragement when a guest needs to see a friendly face. 

Larry says that he volunteers because he likes to help others and to feel that he is contributing to the Family House’s mission. 

We see Larry’s impact everywhere we look, and we are grateful for his inspiring service.

For more information on the SECU Family House and volunteer opportunities, visit www.familyhousews.org.

Lindley Curtis is the volunteer and community service manager at the SECU Family House.