Stumbo and his volunteer army still ‘Make A Difference’ in Richland County

MANSFIELD — Film star and entrepreneur Paul Newman left a lasting impression on community activist Doc Stumbo, a connection that continues to benefit local residents in need.

“Paul Newman started ‘Make A Difference Day’ and always wanted to do things to help people,” Stumbo said in the pre-dawn hours behind the Renaissance Theatre on Friday morning.

“I liked Paul Newman,” he said with a smile as his 18th annual “Make A Difference Food & Supply Drive” kicked off a day of local giving that benefits Harmony House Homeless Services and Catholic Charities.

Stumbo and his army of volunteers — including union leaders, elected officials and more — busily unloaded cars and trucks loaded with donations on Friday from 7 to 10 a.m. 

Donations of non-perishable food items, supplies and financial donations can continue to be dropped off Friday until 5 p.m. at Harmony House, 124 W. Third St., and Catholic Charities, 2 Smith Ave. Checks should be made out to one of the two organizations, Stumbo said.

One of those assisting Friday was Miss Ohio Lora Current, continuing a long-time connection of the scholarship pageant winners with Stumbo and his even longer-time charitable efforts.

“Since my crowning in June, Mansfield has been such a wonderful community to me and really welcomed me into their family here,” Current said. “That’s what Mansfield is — it’s a family.

“For me to come back here and support it a little just by showing up … it’s just a small way I can give back,” she said.

“It’s good to be around Doc. Cause you know when asks you to do something, it’s something good that will help other people,” Current said.

Kelly Blankenship, executive director of Harmony House Homeless Services, joined the effort on Friday morning and said “Make A Difference” day lives up to its name.

“These events are extremely important to us because our budget is so tight,” Blankenship said. “We rely heavily on donations from the community in order to provide the things we don’t have room for in our budget.

“Cleaning supplies, pillows for clients, bedding, linens, toiletries. Even during the pandemic, we serve more than 450 people a year. In non-pandemic times, we’re serving more than 600 per year.

“Every one of these people coming through our doors are unique individuals who need these kinds of supplies. We are grateful to be in a community that does provide these things for us,” Blankenship said.

Stumbo is a West Virginia native who moved to Shelby in 1958 and began a four-decade career at General Motors in Ontario. Volunteering efforts and charitable fundraising around the county have been a staple of his existence.

“We did really good last year,” he said Friday. “We did the drive for eight hours and raised $10,000 worth of food, supplies and donations.

“We hope to do even better this year. We are accepting donations for 10 hours and hope to finish with $12,000 to $14,000.”

Why after all these years is Stumbo still doing this stuff? The answer can be found in a comment he gave Richland Source during an interview in December 2020.

“I’ve never met an enemy. Everybody is wonderful,” Stumbo said. “And every time they see me, they want to know what I’m collecting for. That’s been for 38 years, and people give and give in Richland County. I’ll never get over how good they are.”