Lewis Levine

Columnist

Irene Myers passed away last week. She wasn’t a household name — in fact, many wouldn’t have a clue who she was or why I’m writing about her and that’s OK.

Irene was a savior for many of those who live in our community. You see, Irene would give you the shirt off her back if someone asked her for it.

For many years, Irene collected donated toys at Christmas time, and along with a local motorcycle group or her church, ensure that each child who had registered received a toy to brighten their Christmas morning.

She received nothing in return for doing this. There were no certificates of appreciation or proclamations dedicated to her. She survived on a Social Security check and even used her own money to ensure those in need would wake to a gift under the tree. Many parents who had fallen on hard times were the ones who gave her the drive to give so much of her time and dedication.

Irene also provided clothing, furniture, cooking utensils, you name it, to those less fortunate, even though there were those time she was in need of things herself.

For the sake of transparency, I was in need of a suit for an event and mentioned it to her in a casual conversation. A few days later, she called to stop by to pick up a suit she found at Goodwill. Mind you, I had the money to buy one, just not the time, and through the goodness of her heart, she found one for me and wouldn’t take a dime in return for what she spent.

Later, she founded Mama Irene’s Outreach, a nonprofit she ran out of one of the spare rooms in her Hinesville home. In this room was clothing for children and adults, furniture, diapers — you name it, she had it to provide to a parent struggling to make ends meet.

So when the community lost Irene last week, Heaven gained another angel in its ranks. Borrowing from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” every time you hear a bell, an angel gets their wings. Irene earned hers and more. Those she helped lost a friend, a savior, a Godsend.