To lose two pioneers for our organization in a matter of months is devastating and heartbreaking. Forrest Swall, the former Vice Chair of our board and longtime advocate of Just Food, passed away last week. Below is a post from Jeremy about Forrest and what he meant to him. ========= Its funny. You meet certain people and you instantly click with them. You feel like youve known them for years, and yet, you want to spend as much time getting to know them as you possibly can. I remember the first time I met Forrest...it was at a board meeting, and he was just staring at me. It almost felt like he was sizing me up to find out if he could whip me or not...but it turns out he was observing. He was listening. He was gazing into my soul. I dont mean that to sound as strange as it does on paper, but if you knew Forrest, you know he was good at that. He was a listener. He was never trying to get a word in when you were talking. He was constantly observing...not just what people said, but how they said it and their intent behind it. And the man, moreso than most other people Ive met in my life was so dang good at looking at you and exposing all of the good in you. Forrest believed and saw the best in people. Now, it didnt mean he didnt ever get fired up about anything. I remember Forrest being incensed about our relationships with another food bank and how he perceived there was an injustice. For Forrest, it was never about being right or wrong. It was about what was just and unjust. Thats the filter by which he saw everything. And when there was injustice, he fought like hell to make it right. Forrest was especially upset at the state of our state. As a former state legislator, Forrest understood what it was like to work together. He often told stories of Wint Winter and he working together in the state legislature, even though admittedly, Wint and I didnt see eye to eye on everything. But for Forrest, it was never about the party -- it was always about believing and thinking thoughtfully about the issues. There was a time when I met Forrest for coffee every Monday morning at 6:30 at Hy-Vee. Forrest was there early. I was usually late. Forrest appreciated the silence and the ability to just catch up on reading...or he was trying to figure out how to work his cell phone! I remember being frustrated with how things were going on several occasions, and how people were saying things about me that were blatantly untrue. I shared with him some of my frustrations. How it hurt me for people to call into question my integrity, and Forrest, the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most modest and caring person on the planet said, who gives a * about what people think. If you are doing what is right, and you are strong within yourself, that is all that matters. I kind of jumped back a little bit, astonished at what Forrest had told me. He smiled, admitted that he was a little frustrated at things happening in Topeka and then brought the conversation back down to earth. Every one of those people has value. While Im suggesting to not let them get to you, never forget that they matter. And that was Forrest. One of the most human, authentic, and real people that I have ever met. I will miss our long talks where he would just let me ramble on and on, his constantly encouragement and supporting me, and who believed the best about everyone he came in contact with. Godspeed Forrest. Say hi to Ann for us. PS: Please keep the Swall family in your prayers, especially Forrests wife Donna. She loves and adores this man, and I cant even imagine the void that she feels in her heart.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 16:22:10 +0000
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