Bob Mueller

Although he's only been in Mt. Pleasant for several years, Bob Mueller has already made a name for himself around town for his volunteerism.

From the weekly food pantry with the Fellowship Cup to food distribution to immigrant families through LULAC, he is usually around offering a helping hand.

'Besides being at the food pantry on a weekly basis, he's one of the guys that when we have an event and need some help, he always steps up,” Ken Brown, executive director of the Fellowship Cup said.

Mueller, who grew up on a farm in Illinois, said his desire to be involved in the community through volunteering comes from his rural upbringing.

'I got to see the rural ethic of balancing individuality with group support. When someone needed help, we all got together and worked together,” he said.

Mueller added he began volunteering at food pantries in Illinois before his retirement and was excited to continue his work as he settled in Iowa.

'It's rewarding and feels good to do,” he said.

One of Mueller's most rewarding experiences in Mt. Pleasant so far has been helping families affected by the ICE raid, which took place in 2018.

'It's great fun, just talking and really getting to know the families,” Mueller said.

Through working with immigrant families, he has learned about the diversity in the Midwest that people often 'don't realize [is] here,” as well as Hispanic cultures.

'I took Spanish in the second or third grade where I learned the colors and how to count. Even that little bit is coming back just through our interactions,” he added.

Moving forward, Mueller said he thinks it's important for immigrants to be visible.

'We want to try to get people to understand we can all have a community together,” he said.

– Ashley Duong