SHILOH – Dennis Campbell has dedicated his life to his faith and to helping other people. For him, it seems like the simplest thing in the world.
“That’s what we’re here to do,” he said at the Hands of Christ Gala, hosted by the Catholic Charities Toledo Diocese Thursday night.
Dennis and his wife, Christine Campbell, who are Shiloh residents, were honored with the Hands of Christ award. The award is given to couples who exhibit above-and-beyond community service initiative.
For the Campbells, an example of their effort is participating in the Catholic Charities’ HOPE Food Pantry for the last eight years, working every Tuesday and Thursday.
“On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we get the truck out of Cleveland from the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, drop off the stuff that’s ordered, and then on Thursdays, there’s a truck that comes in and picks up the surplus,” Dennis said. “On those mornings, they need some people to help unload all the three, four pallets of stuff and stock and put it away and segregate it and sort through it.
“I started doing that a couple of years before COVID, and you know, just kind of grew into meeting some good people there, making some friends.”
The couple has been married since 1970, and now has three kids and seven grandchildren, bouncing all over the country. They’ve lived in Buffalo, New York; Kansas City, Missouri and in Ohio: Medina, Dublin and Shiloh, where they’ve lived for 20 years.
They both grew up in the Greater Cleveland area, where they attended college at the same time. They married soon after graduation.
Along the way, the couple founded two parishes: Holy Martyrs in Weymouth, Ohio, and St. Brigid in Dublin, where they’ve served as Eucharistic ministers for decades. Dennis doubles as a lector for his parishes.
Before his service with Catholic Charities, Dennis worked in the truck industry and is self-described as a handyman. HOPE’s food pantry specialist, Ian Chambers, also sees him that way.
“Dennis is very handy; he’s done a lot of little projects for us here,” Chambers said. “He helped us with our awning. In the past couple of years, we’ve built some garden beds with wood, and he directed the whole project. Lots of little things.
“He always comes and helps out … He’s a great guy.”
Nothing could deter the Campbells from helping others. Not even a pandemic.
“During COVID, we kept serving, but we had to serve people outside,” said Rodney Schuster, Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo’s executive director. “They helped lay out and set up our tent, so we could have a surface area outdoors where people could keep their distance but still get food.
“They’ve been just examples of wonderful, beautiful helpers and volunteers, giving back to help the people we serve. That’s what we celebrated (Thursday) night.”
The food pantry has been the perfect way for the couple to continue to serve their community, even as they approach their 80s. The Campbells attribute their commitment to a lifetime devoted to others.
“We’re in good health and enjoy life, but you start to slow down, a little bit at a time,” Dennis said. “The pantry’s fine for me. Chris is retired … (and I’m happy) sitting up here in my workshop with beautiful trees and everything, just enjoying the wonderful life we have.”
