People Helping Organization to Have Local Office

(FROM LEFT, T.J. HODGES AND ROTARY WEEKLY PROGRAM CHAIRMAN MARK WILDBUR)

T.J. Hodges is an Effingham native and has stayed in touch with his former classmates and other friends since he moved to the Chicago suburbs several years ago.

It's one reason why he's opening an Effingham office for his people-helping agency known as "Roses from Linda". Hodges spoke about the effort at the June 11 meeting of Effingham Noon Rotary Club.

The prime objective of the organization is to assist those with an ailing loved one with the cost of transportation to visit that friend or relative. Hodges experienced that difficulty when his mother fell ill due to cancer and later died from the disease. Some of his siblings couldn't get home to see her before she died, and he didn't want to see that happen to others.

During a presentation to the Effingham Noon Rotary Club Wednesday (6/11), Hodges said he is involved in a variety of fundraising efforts, all the while operating his own sports merchandise and apparel business to pay the bills.  He hopes to eventually generate enough in people helping funds to eliminate the commercial side of his enterprise and focus on benefiting others.

"Roses from Linda" helps other charitable endeavors as well, most recently the Willow Park project in Watson.

Find out more at www.rosesfromlinda.org