A Maple Grove Church Leader’s Commitment to Volunteer

It’s the season of giving, a time when people appreciate the simple things in life and try to make the lives of others a little better. For one local woman, the season of giving isn’t just the last two months of the year. Janet Seim has committed more than a decade of her life to helping others through Habitat for Humanity.

“I’ve helped build dozens of homes,” she said. “There is just something about volunteering that makes me feel special.”

Every summer Seim leads a group of volunteers, typically high school students, from Lord of Life Lutheran Church to a spot in need of hard-working hands. “I’ve been all over,” she said. Her list of trips include stops in Baltimore, Chicago, St. Louis and Shreveport.  “I learn something different every time I take a trip.”

At 58 years old, this Osseo grandmother swings a hammer and hangs Sheetrock alongside a team of high school students with ease. While she hopes to set an example for the teenagers she’s working with, she also hopes the trip introduces them to a world outside of their own.

“We live in a wonderful community and enjoy many privileges in the Maple Grove area,” she said. “On these trips, kids see how different life can be for other people.”

Siem said she has repeat volunteers, which she believes is a testament to the positive lessons learned on each trip. “I have young people go on a trip and then next year they want to go again and they bring a friend along with them,” she said. “We must be doing something right.”

While Seim has had many rewarding moments, she says her happiest moment was when her daughter told her she was going to lead a Habitat trip herself.  “I was just so touched,” she said. Seim had taken both of her daughters on Habitat for Humanity trips when they were young. “To know your child wants to model a part of their life after you is really a heart-felt notion.”

Seim’s daughter, Susan Listberger, said her mother is an inspiration. “My mom has always encouraged me and helped me keep things in perspective.” With several trips under her belt, it has officially become a family tradition.

“You learn exactly what you’re capable of and how blessed you are to have what you do,” Listberger said. “The volunteers develop friendships based on trust and mutual experience and learn the joy of serving others.”

Simply put, Listberger said the trips are a “life-altering experience.” 

Mother and daughter plan to chaperone trips in the future. Seim is already signed up to lead a group this summer.