Sally Beyers Reynolds believes that commitment is an important skill to teach others, so much so that she has been volunteering with Job’s Daughters International for 35 years to do so. Originally from Terre Haute, Reynolds moved to Portage 44 years ago after meeting her husband while attending Purdue University.
Beyers Reynolds joined Job’s Daughters when she was 12 and has been actively involved for the majority of her life. Job’s Daughters is a Christian-based organization that teaches girls, ages 10 to 20, about service, leadership, and more.
“I just feel like the organization teaches the girls commitment also,” Beyers Reynolds said. “They make the commitment to learn because we do ask them to – when they’re an officer – to learn a part which tells the story of Job.”
When she is not volunteering with the organization, Beyers Reynolds is working as a hospital pharmacist in a children’s hospital in South Bend. She has worked in independent pharmacies before and was going to retire, but since COVID-19 she has worked more than ever. Her career as a pharmacist has helped her to reaffirm her own personal mission to help and care for others.
“With independent pharmacy, you learn to care for all people, but I was taught that by my parents too,” Beyers Reynolds said.
Beyers Reynolds became involved in the Valparaiso chapter of Job’s Daughters, which has since moved to Chesterton, since her daughter joined when she was 11.
“I just think it's a good organization for girls, and it gives them something other than sports,” Beyers Reynolds said. “Back when I started, there weren't a lot of organizations for girls, so this was something that gave girls the opportunity to learn service, charity, and leadership.”
One of the organizations that Reynolds and Job’s Daughters work with and donate to is the Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund, Inc. (HIKE). HIKE is a nonprofit organization that provides hearing assistive devices to children.
“We make money through all sorts of different fundraisers, and we provide the hearing devices to the kids,” Beyers Reynolds said. “It’s just something that really touches you when you realize these kids who were struggling with their hearing can get their hearing devices.”
One of the biggest fundraisers Beyers Reynolds helps Job’s Daughters with is the county fair where the organization sells steamed corn. Beyers Reynolds has helped with the fair for the past 28 years and has taken the initiative to secure the corn to sell. When she can, Beyers Reynolds buys from local farmers.
The girls get to decide where to put the money raised from the fair each year. As an organization, they have donated to HIKE, scholarships, local animal shelters, hospitals, and more.
“We try to guide them into learning about leadership and the democratic process,” Beyers Reynolds said. “The money is able to do good things for our communities. The girls, they decide what they’re going to do with that money. They vote on what fun, service projects they want to do.”
As a mentor and volunteer, Beyers Reynolds enjoys seeing the growth in each of the girls in the organization.
“It’s just amazing to see how those girls can grow; I’ve seen it happen. They just transform and finally come out of their shell. When they first come in, they’ll have their heads down and pretty soon, they’re very confident girls,” Beyers Reynolds said. “No matter what they do, wherever they go, they will need those leadership skills; it helps them help their own community.”
Beyers Reynolds enjoys the work she does with Job’s Daughters and believes it provides an important service to her community.
“We need something else that shows girls that they need to do charity, that they can help their communities, and that they can be leaders; the leaders of tomorrow,” Beyers Reynolds said.