VanGilder ‘hugs’ two more

Berry, Fowler latest recipients

Robyn Fowler, vice president and branch manager of United Missouri Bank in Carthage, choked back tears when told she was the latest recipient of Irene VanGilder’s “Hugs and Handshakes” ministry.

It is VanGilder’s ongoing attempts to bring acts of kindness or compassion to selected Carthage residents or businesspersons deserving of such praise.

More importantly, such acts were commonplace 40 years ago but have since mostly disappeared, she said, and she’s hoping to again generate those “put-a-smile-on-someone’s-face” responses that random acts of kindness often spawn.

She certainly received her intended reaction from Fowler, who accepted the gift before asking her, “Can I give you a hug?”

“You most certainly can,” VanGilder answered.

The two had never met before, but Fowler had called VanGilder on the phone, when the latter was helping out at Florette Florist & Greenhouse on Maple, and asked her how to properly take care of geraniums.

“It was her voice, it was very kind, and I just remember how extremely friendly she was to me, and she told me geraniums were her mother’s favorite flowers.” Thus the gift of geraniums from VanGilder.

“It means a lot to me,” Fowler said.

Just minutes earlier, on the other side of the Carthage Square, VanGilder had visited the Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance Services and lodged a big grin on Valerie Berry’s face.

Why Berry?

“Because she’s a dramatic person and I’ve known her for a long time and recently I’ve lost touch with her because she’s been driving back and forth to Springfield to an insurance place, and now she’s back here. She’s a delightful, work hard and get things done type of person.

“She’s a dynamite person and wanted to welcome her back home.”

Berry has known the VanGilders for years, and Irene helped Berry become the successful businessperson she is today.

“I was just little miss plain Jane, ordinary homemaker housewife, who never held a job and went straight from my parent’s home to my husband’s home,” eventually becoming a stay-at-home mom. But Irene kept at her, encouraging her to get out and make something of herself. She did, becoming a Mary Kay Cosmetics consultant from 1987 to 2005 before getting into the insurance field.

“If it wasn’t for Irene, I don’t know if I’d be where I’m at today,” Berry said.

“I’ve missed being in Carthage for the last five years.” Berry said. During that time, she’s motored from her Carthage home to Springfield five days a week, leaving at 6 a.m. and coming back around 9 p.m. “But now I can ho home for lunch every day!”

Said VanGilder, “I’m just glad you’re home.

“She is a dynamic type of person,” she said later. “When I saw her and learned she was coming back (to Carthage), I (pumped fists) and said yeah!”