In The News

Driver Offers His Time and Money to Help Others

"When I was a kid, my mom was a cook in nursing homes," said Bill Hutson, a truck driver for Showtime Concession Supply out of Moore, Okla. Hutson spent his childhood hanging around the elderly, as his mother cooked for them, and that's how he developed a passion for the older generation. Meanwhile, his father built his own airplane while he was growing up, and he taught Hutson how to fix anything.

When he was 15 years old, Hutson landed a construction job, remodeling restaurants and gas stations. After the owner would set up a crew at a job site, he would take Hutson and go work on a home for someone who couldn't afford to pay for it. One day, Hutson asked his boss why he helped these people, and he answered, "To the world, you may be just one person. But to one person, you just may be the world."

This is the motto of the non-profit organization Hutson founded in December 2002, Table Talk Ministries. When Hutson is not driving for Showtime four days a week, he's repairing the homes of the elderly, disabled and poor, free of charge. Hutson said his passion for the elderly and his ability to fix anything inspired him to establish Table Talk Ministries.

The Finances

The work of Table Talk Ministries is made possible through a combination of donations and money that comes out of Hutson's own pocket. In 2008, repairs amounted to over $41,000, but they only received $11,500 in donations. Repairs cost about $15,500 in 2009, with about $5,200 in donations. The rest was paid by Hutson himself.

At the moment, Hutson said there's a house that needs to be completely gutted by August. The lowest estimate for the job is $15,000, according to Hutson, an amount he doesn't have. He said he'll most likely take out a loan to complete the job.

To Hutson, money is just a tool, something he doesn't worry about. He's got everything he needs in terms of food, light, a home, etc. "I'm not trying to get rich," he said. "I'm not going to take anything with me [when I die], so why not give it away?"

A Positive Image of Trucking

In August, Hutson will celebrate 30 years of being in the trucking industry. Since he only works four days a week, he has time on the weekends to do his work for Table Talk. He said his employer, Showtime Concession, has been flexible in working with him in terms of scheduling Table Talk repairs. He works out of the company's terminal in Muncie, Ind.

Since the 1980s, Hutson has seen the image of the trucking industry go south. He hopes that the efforts of Table Talk will bring a more positive image to trucking. The more positive things that come out of the industry, the better, he said.

Helping Others

Table Talk Ministries gets a lot of its clients from state and federal government programs. Other business comes from referrals from home health care places and churches.

The group has clients all over the country, including Texas, Oregon, Delaware, California, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. If there's someone that needs help far away, Hutson will get on the phone and find someone in the area to do the job for free or at least at a discounted rate.

When he's not driving or repairing homes, Hutson sits on panel of home repair experts that answer home improvement questions over the Internet.

Hutson said he has no plans to retire in the near future, and he hopes to keep helping people as long as he can.

"I plan on dying with a hammer in my hand," he said.

For more information about Table Talk Ministries, visit www.tabletalkministries.org .

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