Minot mom walks the walk when it comes to helping others

MINOT – A lot of good people do a lot of good work for their communities and fellow human beings, especially around the holidays. Cards and ornaments often remind us to keep that Christmas spirit throughout the year.

Wendy Simard of Minot is one person whose heart keeps growing three sizes bigger nearly every day of the year. When the wrapping paper and ribbons clear, Simard continues to give her time and enthusiasm to nearly every cause and organization in town.

“Wendy has a very strong sense of community,” said Kathy Sirois, coordinator for the Auburn Preschool and former president of the Minot Community Club. “Nothing happens here without volunteers. I think Wendy wants to make sure that others don’t do without.”

Recently, when two Minot families lost their homes in unrelated fires, Simard spearheaded efforts to help replace lost items of necessity and comfort. An outpouring of community generosity has resulted in a surplus of some things, which led Simard to reach out to other agencies helping other house-fire victims, said Jan Wilkinson, longtime secretary at Minot Consolidated School.

“A town like Minot has always been really blessed with having people turn out when they’re needed,” said Wilkinson. “Wendy is certainly one of them.”

Simard, mother of three elementary-school-age children, also spends her time co-leading a Girl Scout troop, as an officer on the Minot Hebron Athletic Association, as a Minot School Committee member and as an active volunteer for the Minot Community Club.

That means many hours year-round of attending meetings, answering the phone, coordinating fundraising events and even running around on the soccer field if there’s a lack of coaches.

“She just can’t say ‘no’ when she sees a need,” said her husband, Jason Simard. “Some times I wish she would when the phone is constantly ringing. But I’m glad that she gets the joy out of doing what she does.”

Jason Simard, who does a fair amount of community volunteering himself, said he hopes their children learn that getting involved can affect a lot of people.

“Hopefully our kids don’t grow up with a ‘they’ mentality,” said Jason Simard. “It’s what we all do and what we make of our community.”

Carey Woods, vice president of the Minot Hebron Athletic Association, said Wendy Simard is always the first to volunteer to take registrations, open up the snack shack or anything else that needs to be done.

“She has such a huge heart,” said Woods. “She’s very involved with her kids, but she’s involved with everything else, too.”

Simard said she originally began volunteering because of her own children and that she didn’t have many opportunities when she was growing up. But when she moved to Minot five years ago, she saw volunteering was how things got done.

“I’m nobody special,” said Simard. “That’s just what people in Minot do. I’m lucky that I have the time to do these things. There have been so many people who have put their time into making things happen for the community and their children. We all take a turn.”

Her 10-year-old son, Jacob, said he likes to see his mom and dad doing things and understands that his mom wants to help others.

“I think she’s trying to make things better for other people,” said Jacob. “I think it shows that my mom and dad love me and care about me.”