{"id":21610,"date":"2024-07-23T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lebanon\/?p=21610"},"modified":"2024-07-23T16:45:47","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T16:45:47","slug":"ronnie-kelley-dreaming-to-serve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lebanon\/ronnie-kelley-dreaming-to-serve\/","title":{"rendered":"Ronnie Kelley: Dreaming to Serve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

H<\/strong>ELPING THE <\/strong>young and lost is what one man in Lebanon was inspired to do all his life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ronnie D. Kelley moved to Lebanon from Hartsville in the fourth grade. He grew up in the Wilson County School District and graduated from high school in 1973. He chose to spend his life with Gail Kelley, having been together for 49 years. They have three children \u2014 Angela, Timothy, and Titus \u2014 and six grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1987, he began working at Burchett Ford, later renamed Bates Ford. The 68-year-old has been working there for 37 years now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An accident in 1977 changed everything for Kelley. Some people asked him for a ride. Something told him not to oblige, but he concurred anyway. The next thing Kelley knew, he had crashed into a tree and became hospitalized. Once finally released from the hospital, he was in a body cast for three months before receiving a leg cast. Since then, he has been committed to listening to the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hate to have to go through something like that to make something happen,\u201d Kelley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Holy Spirit is now leading Kelley to live a life of service, changing lives in his community. He\u00a0is affiliated with the Wilson County Civic League, a nonprofit organization working to improve social conditions by promoting programs that enhance self-worth and dignity, placing an emphasis on young people. Problems tackled \u2014 through education, seminars, workshops, recreation, and regular tutoring programs \u2014 include drug abuse, teen pregnancy, violence, and AIDS. Kelley said at one point, the organization built about 23 apartments with a grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1999, Kelley graduated from Leadership Wilson, an organization dedicated to developing community leaders. He serves as a board member for the Lebanon Housing Authority to help provide safe and affordable housing. Kelley helps the hungry at Joseph\u2019s Storehouse Food Ministry, shares the Word of God with inmates at Wilson County\u2019s Jail Ministry, and supports his city at the Wilson County Election Commission. He also assisted in starting a community help center. Adding to his resume is his role as a deacon at First Baptist Church, nearly 20 miles away in Gallatin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because Kelley \u201cdoesn\u2019t have enough to do,\u201d he is also on the board of Lebanon Youth Baseball, a Little League club. He said many kids cannot afford to play travel ball, which is where the club comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe make sure those kids that play baseball don\u2019t have to pay anything, and this year, we [also] took on softball. So we kind of coordinate both of those together, [and] we have a lot more kids playing ball,\u201d Kelley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bates Ford often donates to Wilson County Civic League and is mirroring his heart and endeavors. The dealership also supports Joseph\u2019s Storehouse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Kelley is not looking out for the youth, he likes to study the Bible, spend time with family, and watch the Tennessee Titans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his endeavor, some of Kelley\u2019s greatest difficulties are striving to help those who fail to help themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe [have] to be patient,\u201d Kelley said. \u201cWe [have] gotta understand that we were young once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That endeavor continues in church. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight now, we\u2019re trying to talk to young people,\u201d Kelley said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to show them and have people come and talk with them and try to keep them out of trouble. We want to keep them on the straight and narrow and to do that, [you\u2019ve] gotta stay with them all the time. First, [we\u2019ve] gotta build relationships. Once we build a relationship, we can work with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His grandfather and aunt taught him to do right by others and make responsible choices. Listening to those older and wiser was key to Kelley\u2019s success in life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI learned from the older people, and I cherished that,\u201d Kelley said. \u201cThey believed in you and [would] help you. A lot of the older people back then [would] give you some advice, and if you followed their advice, [you\u2019d] be okay. But if you [didn\u2019t] try to do what they [said], they wouldn\u2019t have much to do with you.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listening is what led him to Bates Ford, after all. Before joining the dealership, Kelley had worked at a used car lot. One day, a man named James Pope approached him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018I\u2019ve been watching you. You need to be at a new dealership,\u2019\u201d Kelley recalled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The young Kelley said he did not think it would work out, but he listened and applied to work at Burchett Ford. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI went in,\u201d Kelley said. \u201cI did exactly what he told me to do.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long story short: Burchett Ford hired Kelley, helping to set him up for a life of service. GN <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HELPING THE young and lost is what one man in Lebanon was inspired to do all his life.  Ronnie D. Kelley moved to Lebanon from Hartsville in the fourth grade. He grew up in the Wilson County School District and graduated from high school in 1973. 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