Volunteerism vital to 2023’s Good Neighbor

By Shari Friedel

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

Chosen as the 2023 Good Neighbor is DeeAnn Tatum of Grant.

DeeAnn embodies her own definition of a good neighbor: “a good community volunteer, someone who is always dependable, and there to lend a helping hand.”

She wants to be known as somebody who is willing to help, and believes that even small projects benefit everyone in a neighborhood, and improves the whole community.

Moving to Grant from Wyoming in 1991, she first assisted with arts and crafts at Golden Ours Convalescent Home. 

She, along with her husband Bob, took on the organization of the annual community Thanksgiving dinner, a project they co-chaired for a total of 15 years.

DeeAnn has also been known to help with community and park cleanups and plantings, and has pulled lots of weeds. She has helped paint many colorful dumpsters around Grant, and always helps fill them with trash she finds laying around.

DeeAnn manages two social media pages that promote the region: “Perkins County Area Arts Council” and “Perkins County, Nebraska,” to which she has contributed hundreds of photographs and bits of information over the last 12 years.

As Perkins County Area Arts Council member and president, DeeAnn has volunteered at Meadowlark Gallery in Grant since its origin in 2003, and now, as the gallery manager, books monthly shows, sets up exhibits and hosts “meet the artist” receptions, putting in anywhere from 20 to 80-plus hours a month.

“She is the ultimate hostess and makes everyone feel welcome at the gallery,” said a nominator. “This is a high quality gallery, and so unique to a small community. It would not exist without DeeAnn.”

Studies show that high school students engaged in the arts are twice as likely to volunteer. “In my case I guess it’s true!” she said. “I loved my high school art classes and my six years of studying art and design at OU in Norman, Okla.”

In turn, DeeAnn encourages current high school students to volunteer and share their talents at the gallery with Youth Art Month held in March, student musical performances, and assistance in organizing the gallery.

DeeAnn recommends volunteerism to everyone. “Being a volunteer makes my life so much better,” she said. “People can help the community in so many different ways.” Some of her suggestions for volunteer opportunities are the Perkins County Historical Museum, Meadowlark Gallery, Perkins County Animal Shelter, Perkins County Food Pantry, or just working to keep the county’s communities’ parks, streets and alleys clean and litter-free.

“Doing something for free makes everyone happy!” she said.