The Glue

 

Jerry Jarvis - I don't think he knew I was taking his picture. Sorry Jer.

    He's always there when you need him. He will ask as much of you as you do of him. He gets things done! He's the glue. I knew of Jerry Jarvis for as long as I've lived in Middlebrook. I didn't KNOW Jerry Jarvis until I opened the store in 2019. Jerry is part of "the coffee club" as I endearingly call them. In the winter time he's usually there several days a week. In the summer, I may only see him if he swings by to grab a Gatorade on his way to the next yard to mow. He's 70 some years old? He still mows several yards for people around the village and The Meating Place as well. He used to do more, but his sweet wife Patty finally talked him into giving some of it up. He walks his dog Molly around the village all hours of the day and night and watches out for the people and businesses in the village. He is Ruritan of the Year for 2023 and is very active in the Middlebrook Ruritan Club and Middlebrook Fire Department. I, personally, do not know what the Ruritans would do without him. Like I said, he gets stuff done. 

    Jerry and I started the Middlebrook Fourth of July parade in 2022. Basically, I just do what he tells me to do. I didn't know the first thing about heading up a parade, but he did. Then we expanded to a block party after the parade, it's getting better each year. When I want to get something done, but don't know where to start; I ask Jerry. He knows someone or will "find out" who I need to talk to. 

    Jerry, Mr. Bill and Lester are the "Middlebrook Three." They share gardens and vegetables and look out for each other. They are brothers. 

    A few years ago, Jerry's wife Patty had quite the scare as her sugar went really high in the middle of the night. I will never forget Jerry coming to the store to tell me Patty was in the hospital. He looked so scared, like I had never seen him look before. I hugged him and told him if they needed anything to let me know and that I would be praying for Patty. When he left, I cried. I didn't want him to see me cry, but I was worried... for the both of them. Thankfully Patty made it through that scary time and came home. Jerry makes her breakfast in the mornings to ensure she eats before he leaves for the day. She's capable of making them both breakfast, but that's how he takes care of her (now, if he would only take her on that trip she's been wanting to go on.) I worry sometimes that Jerry doesn't take care of himself like he should. When I ask him if he's ok, or if he's taking care of himself, he just nods his head and says yes. He doesn't want anyone to worry about him (but we do.) Whenever you ask him how he is you will ALWAYS get a "FANTASTIC." I call bull on it a lot of days, but he just smiles. 

    He's at every Riverheads Football game, most Riverheads Basketball games and can be seen at various sporting events or concerts supporting his three grandchildren. To know him is to love him, at least to me and lots of others in my little village. He's the glue. I don't know if he will ever see this blog, he doesn't have Facebook and I'm not sure he even knows I have a blog, but that's ok. I don't write stories about people to get accolades. I write about them because they are important to me and I want to be able to look back on it one day and their picture and remember them.

Wishing you sunny skies and green pastures,

McKession