Why I Give: Peggie and Bob Keddie Jr.

My connection with Liberty Lutheran first began in the early 2000s when the Advancement Department was running a capital giving campaign at Paul’s Run. My mother was a resident at Paul’s Run for quite some time. She first moved into Independent Living, and then transitioned through each level of care until she passed. Having quite a connection to the community, I gave over the course of a three year period, and from there I was invited to join Liberty’s Board of Directors. I guess they figured I was a good guy.

My wife, Peggie, and I truly believe in giving back. We’ve had a good life and we believe in the work that Liberty Lutheran does and enjoy supporting their family of services. Worldwide causes are important, but we especially enjoy giving back to an organization that is local like Liberty because you can see the results happening in each community. You can see the impact that each dollar makes.

My family was always a giving family. My parents were products of the Great Depression and they always gave 10 percent of their money to charity. It was their priority to give. They believed in their faith and were members of a Presbyterian Church, which was influential to me as I grew up. My dad felt that when he was giving, he was cultivating seeds of growth. He thought that if no one gave, nothing would happen. That philosophy of giving carried on throughout my life.

Giving was particularly relevant throughout my career when I worked for Beneficial Bank. They were very involved with community affairs and they supported community service efforts. I, along with other senior officers, were encouraged to take on that giving mentality. So, I served on several Boards, including Liberty Lutheran’s, and I’ve always enjoyed taking on those fundraising efforts.

I think it’s in my blood to try and raise funds for the organizations I care about, and I think it stems back to my parents. It has been incredible for me to see Liberty Lutheran persevere through this pandemic and it really speaks to the organization’s leadership. I think that when you’re a caregiver at heart, you embody that motivational spirit and there’s a true desire there to help people. It’s unbelievable and I just admire the work that Liberty continues to do for the people they serve.