George and Sharon Hoekstra - '60
At the June 2004 high school graduation ceremony,
George and Sharon Hoekstra received the Distinguished
Alumni award of Timothy Christian Schools. The award
was granted for the countless hours that George and
Sharon have given to Timothy Christian Schools via
volunteer activities and service on the board of directors.
But, when asked about the award, George and Sharon
said, “They accepted the award on behalf of all the
volunteers to Timothy Christian Schools, and that none
of the programs and activities they have been involved in
could have been successful without the support and
encouragement of others.”
Sharon came to Timothy from Englewood Christian
School in the sixth grade as Sharon Hoving. So, it was
only natural that she would sit in class in the vicinity of
George Hoekstra. They graduated as members of the
class of 1960 and went to Calvin College where they
were members of the class of 1964. In June of 1965 they
were married. George began his business career with
Household Finance and the Santa Fe Railway. He served
in the Army from September of 1966 to September of
1968 during which time he was stationed in Viet Nam
for ten months. On his return, George began his career
with Hoving & Sons.
Sharon began her teaching career
at Western Springs Christian School in September of
1964 and taught through June of 1972.
Shortly after their son, Russell, entered kindergarten
at Timothy, Sharon was asked to begin the Learning
Assistance Program (LAP) which has assisted a large
number of students as they moved through the grade
levels. This was the beginning of the many ways that
Sharon has served Timothy. In addition to the LAP
program, Sharon started the Exploring Career
Opportunities (ECO) program in the high school and
served as a member of the Friendship Clubs working
with or coordinating activities such as hot lunches,
Apple Pie Day, book fair, banket day, and the Bazaar.
While Sharon was involved in her many activities,
George was elected to and served on the board of
directors of Timothy Christian Schools for four three
year terms. He held all the offices except vice president
and served on numerous committees. The monthly
Market Day distribution was also a regular stop on George’s schedule.
George and Sharon learned that Christian education is an
important and essential part of every Christian’s daily life
at an early age. They attribute their devotion and the
strength of their commitment to, “their parents, teachers,
and the positive experiences while they were a part of
Christian education as students and parents.”
Throughout all of their experiences with Christian
education, they have been motivated by their belief that,
“Education without God is incomplete.” In a very special
way, this belief manifests itself in that their son, Russell,
is a Christian School teacher in Grandville, Michigan.
After retiring from Hoving & Sons, George was thinking
about something of value to do with his time and talents.
Well, along came the offer to develop the New To You
resale store as a fund raising activity for Christian
education at Timothy Christian Schools, Humboldt
Christian School, West Side Christian School, and
Daystar Christian School. After discussing the offer,
George and Sharon, both felt that this was an example of
God’s providence leading them to another area of service
After many hours of work, the New To You store is
providing a service to the community in which it resides
and generates income for the four supporting schools.
In a recent edition of a Timothy newsletter, Dave Larsen
said, “The Distinguished Alumni Award, which is given
annually to a graduate (or graduates) who embodies the
mission and vision of Timothy Christian Schools, is
really a life achievement award in the case of George and
Sharon, whose exemplary leadership and volunteerism in
a multitude of ways at Timothy has enriched the life of
this school and its students.”
A reception in George and Sharon’s honor was held in
the Fireside Room at Christ Church of Oak Brook prior
to the high school graduation ceremony. Alumni Board
President Susan Greenfield presented the award to the
Hoekstra’s at the ceremony, and George spoke to the
graduates with these words:
“We accept this award on behalf of the hundreds of
volunteers that work in and around Timothy. We are
highly honored and deeply humbled to have been singled
out from this group to receive this award. Each day,
volunteers give freely of themselves and their precious
time. Their list is long and detailed. They work as nurse’s
aides and as picture ladies. They read to first graders and
serve in the Discovery Center. They are room parents and
Book Fair workers. They help with our libraries and with
our hot lunch programs. They make apple pies and serve
as concession stand workers. They work at our resale
store and serve at bazaars and fun fairs. They are
members of Booster clubs, Friendship clubs and Mothers
club. The list goes on and on. If you stop at the resale
store during the next month you will find many faculty
members working diligently as volunteers. The collective
efforts of these people are significant in helping to
contain tuition increases. But far more importantly, they
clearly demonstrate to our latest generation the
importance of Christian education to them, their families
and their community.
Sharon and I have always considered Christian Education to be a precious gift from God that demands our support
and passing to the next generation. Some of us have been around Christian education for several generations now
and have come to take it somewhat for granted. So, let’s take a moment to review why it is so important.
Christian education is important because it is essentially the only complete education. It is founded on the one
true God, the creator of the universe. Christian education is important because it includes God’s common sense for
living in a fallen world. Christian education is important because it is entwined with the Good News and the joy
of God’s plan of salvation. You see, an education that doesn’t recognize God at its center is at best incomplete,
and at worst something other than an education.
Several years ago as a member of the Admissions Committee, I had the opportunity to interview a Christian mother who was seeking to send her children to Timothy. She was a teacher in Chicago’s public school system and I asked her to comment on this very subject. Her words were powerful and to the point. She said ‘the Bible defines eternity without God as hell, likewise is the direction of our public schools without God.’ During this election year, we frequently hear that our nation’s future is dependent on our educational system. We are God’s light. That pretty well defines the importance of Christian education.
Graduates, you have been blessed with an education that is uniquely Christian—an education that communicates with God and recognizes Him in every way. As you graduate tonight, you have completed an important chapter in your lives. Congratulations! Tonight, you are like unto an arrow that is being released from its bow. The bow is your Christian education and upbringing. It has aimed you with precision at a target that is a lifetime away. On this target are written the words of Jesus; ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ And as you go on through life and each successive chapter opens and closes, more and more you will come to recognize your Christian education as the foundation for your life of service to God. You will inevitably come to the conclusion that Christian education is a precious gift from God that demands your support and passing to the next generation. We would urge you to support it with your prayers, support it with your optimism, and support it with your funds. But most importantly, support it with yourself; become a volunteer!”
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