(MADRAS) — Inspiration by his maternal grandmother led Madras resident Bill Wienert to live a life of giving.
Growing up, there was always a kettle on the stove, and Wienert’s grandmother never turned anyone away. The coastal town of Toledo, Oregon, on Yaquina Bay, was home. After working in the paper mill to earn money for college, he set off to Oregon State University for a bachelor's degree and later OHSU to study laboratory medicine. He earned a certificate as a Medical Technologist. He was also extremely fortunate to have a low draft number, so serving in Vietnam was not a worry.
He married Jennifer – Jenny to most — and they moved to Madras approximately 40 years ago. Wienert worked in the laboratory at the Mt. View Hospital in Madras for roughly 25 years while they raised three kids. Those family values instilled by his grandmother continued through Wienert’s life and into his children: Daughter Emma works in memory care; his son Wil is working on his certification as an X-ray technician; daughter Lizzy is working on her education degree at OSU and is currently the program assistant at the Jefferson County Library.
Wienert got a little burned out working 12-hour shifts at the hospital, where he processed blood for analysis and performed all the lab work a hospital requires. As lab manager, he enjoyed the work and the people. “They had the best nurses,” stated Wienert. But it was difficult to get people to come to work in such a small community.
As he retired, his church challenged people to community service.
“I’ve never done well with having too much time off, so I started helping with youth programs at church.” He and Jenny also started helping single mothers. He’s become more sensitive to women’s issues and has made relationships with people who need help. “It makes you feel good when you can honorably fill the role of helper and be trusted by them,” stated Wienert.
Wienert also started making bread deliveries to food banks in the area. For 10 years, he drove to Portland with an 18-foot trailer to pick up donated bread from the bakery and deliver it to Central Oregon food banks. When Bimbo Bakeries established a regional warehouse in Redmond, it saved those long trips to Portland. In the last two years, he’s driven first for the local Faith Based Network, and more recently for the Madras Community Food Pantry. He and his fellow volunteers, Bill Fichtner, Brian McClennan, and Bill’s Labrador Rosie, haul for seven different agencies. On Tuesday and Friday, they pick up a truckload from Bimbo Bakeries in Redmond and deliver to Metolius, Smith Rock Community Church, CRR Community Center, the Madras Community Food Pantry, LINC, and Lone Pine Church. Bimbo Bakeries donates bread, buns, breakfast items and pastries.
For Wienert, having fellow volunteers on the delivery routes is mutual therapy. It gives them time to socialize.
Les Weidner, operations manager for the Madras Community Food Pantry, says, “Wienert is a force to be reckoned with. He’s a go-getter and has never missed a day in the nine months he’s been delivering for us. He’s such a likable guy and will do anything you ask him to do.”
When asked about what else he’s been doing in his spare time, Wienert pointed to his front yard. He and Jenny removed the turf, covered it with decorative gravel and placed a couple of raised rock gardens with water-wise pollinator plants. “It was the right thing to do,” he said, “It takes less water, and the bonus is not mowing.” He also likes to read, mostly biographies. When the mood strikes, he enjoys reloading shells and has tooling for multiple calibers.
On being named an “Amazing Neighbor,” Wienert said, “I’m so flattered and humbled by this honor. It’s nice to know people see you. You want recognition, but you don’t.”
When asked about his future plans, Wienert said, “Continue volunteering. My goal is to make things easier for people.”
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