Jenine and Dwayne Tanabe

Name: Jenine and Dwayne Tanabe

Age: She is 57, he is 58.

Family: Three children, Bethany, Renee and Jacob; one grandson.

Residence: Gridley.

Occupation: She is a dermatologist and he is an accountant.

How long have you lived in the Mid-Valley? They are lifelong residents.

Hobbies, interests: They have a little family farm and he also enjoys bowling.

For what groups do you volunteer? Dwayne has been a member of the Christian Business Alliance for about six years. The group's activities include sponsoring the National Day of Prayer in the area and going out to local businesses and praying for them on site.

He also handles The Ambassador newspaper's distribution in the Gridley area.

In high school, he was an athletic trainer for teams, helped with sports teams when the couple's own children were playing, and has been a member of the Gridley Lions Club since the early 1980s.

This year, Jenine worked as an assistant for daughter Renee, a dentist, at the Convoy of Hope in Sacramento, a program that provided free services to anyone. About a dozen dentists from the Sacramento area worked on people all day.

Jenine said, "I love how volunteering and going out beyond yourself is being passed from my mother's generation to ours to our kids'. My mother, in Gridley, is 83 years and still teaching Sunday school — she taught us to do the Lord's work and love the Lord."

Jenine and Dwayne have been active in the Gridley Presbyterian Church since completing their schooling in 1985, mostly working with Sunday school and local outreach — including a Christmas drive-through exhibit, Easter food-basket giveaways and prayer walks in the community.

When they decided to volunteer once a month at the Twin Cities Rescue Mission in Marysville, they invited people from their church to help out. They cook and serve food and participate in the rescue mission's service.

When Dwayne learned about the mission recently, he was moved to the thought of other people out there, homeless, who are so grateful to have what they receive.

"I think Christians have to develop their own relationship with Jesus and then Jesus teaches them to love people outside of the church," Jenine said. By volunteering, you "almost get more blessing than you give."

For the past three years the Tanabe family has provided a dinner to the teenage staff of the national Acquire the Fire conference for youth taking part in the regional conference in Sacramento.

How do you fit it into your schedule? Jenine and Dwayne said they are good jugglers and have a great family.

Words of advice: Dwayne — You need to be willing to step out of your own comfort zone.

Jenine — I would partner with a friend or family member and try one small volunteer opportunity. That way, people can see if they like it or not.

Quote: Jenine — "There is not enough time on earth to do everything God wants us to do, so we need to get going."

Dwayne — "We are willing to give."