Volunteerism isn’t just a hobby for David Lura.
It’s just sort of how he rolls.
An avid walker due to a double knee replacement, Lura can be seen throughout Oak Harbor with his rolling trash cans, picking up trash and stopping to help whenever he’s needed.
“People see me all over town,” he said. “I can’t stand trash. I’ve always been one to pick up trash, but a lot of people do it. There’s nothing special about me.”
His first aim is to reach 10,000 steps each day to keep his knees healthy. Since he started walking with a pedometer in 2005, Lura has taken more than 20 million steps.
His second aim is to volunteer his time everywhere and anywhere.
“My philosophy was to be involved in the community and that’s still my philosophy,” Lura said. “We all have our role to play.”
Lura served five years in the Navy 1969 to 1974 as a radioman and drug and alcohol counselor.
He now serves as the Chaplain for the Oak Harbor Area Council of the Navy League. Other than this regular responsibility, Lura’s approach to volunteerism is comparatively free-form.
When he got out of the service, he went to seminary. In 1980, he was recruited back as a reservist and went to chaplain school. He served in Rockford and Edmonds as pastor and chaplain before landing in Oak Harbor in 1987.
Lura retired as the pastor of Oak Harbor’s First Methodist Church in June of 2010 after 23 years.
He then moved back to his first ministry in Rockford to pastor part-time 2010 to 2012. Now back in Oak Harbor for good, Lura said his primary goal is to give back where ever he can.
During his long walks around Oak Harbor, he may stop in to see a friend at a retail store, and spend two hours helping them reorganize inventory.
He regularly stops by Harbor Tower Village senior living center to help with landscaping, make minor repairs, chat with residents or sit in as receptionist when they are short handed.
“He’s a true servant,” said Harbor Tower Village’s Maintenance Director Steve Swankie.
Harbor Tower Village Executive Director Hazel Welliver can’t say enough about Lura and his service to her residents and the community at large.
“He’s got a friendly face and always takes a minute to talk to the residents,” Welliver said. “He’s a cheerleader for the staff. If someone takes the time to validate your day that just means the world to them.”
Working his way around Oak Harbor, Lura also lends a hand as needed at Summerhill Assisted Living and Regency on Whidbey Retirement and Assisted Living.
He also gives back by connecting people with the resources and organizations they need, something he’s tried to do since is pastoring days began.
“When people would come to my congregation, I would tell them that if they find that this wasn’t for them, I’d have them describe what they were looking for and I would help them find it,” Lura said. “My job was to connect people together and certainly with God.”
With his love of walking however, his current hobby provides a great service to the city of Oak Harbor.
Over the years, Lura has recovered more than $100, a drivers license, library cards, a car registration, three sets of car keys and a full book of food stamps. Most of these items were returned to their owners when possible, Lura said.
“It’s kind of like geocaching without a GPS,” Lura joked.
On his rolling cart, Lura has one can for garbage, another can for recyclables, a small rake and a couple different grabbers he uses to pick up the trash.
“I have my hobby, and I never run out of inventory,” Lura said. “I’ve heard retirees say that they are more busy now than when they were working. And it’s true.”
