Board of Directors

Lane Sander

BOARD PRESIDENT

Director and Founder of Renovate Counseling Services.

More About Lane

My wife Jennifer, our four kids, and I reside in Wells county. I am the director and founder of Renovate Counseling Services, a private practice mental health counseling agency with several offices throughout Indiana. I also serve as the assistant pastor at Sonlight Wesleyan Church in Bluffton. My family and I are passionate about helping people in need and enjoy opportunities to serve with and for a variety of local, as well as international, people-focused and Gospel-centered non-profits. We further enjoy the outdoors, staying active, and spending time together as a family.

I serve on the board of Helping Hands because I believe in the mission - every child and every family matters - and Helping Hands has a very Christ-centered and holistic approach to the important work that they do.

My favorite verse (right now) is James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Jarrod Lewis

BOARD VICE PRESIDENT

Sr. Regional HR Manager for Bunge North America

More About Jarrod

I served as the Human Resource Advisor at the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne and retired from the Air National Guard after 20 years of service in 2022. My wife Alicia and I have been married for 19 years, and we are proud parents of 4 wonderful daughters, Hattie (18), Hazel (15), Haley (14) and Hannah (12). We were previously members of the Ossian Presbyterian Church and have been attending Hope Missionary Church for the past 10 years.

I am passionate about protecting the lives of the unborn and providing support for mothers who may be facing difficult life situations. I love that Helping Hands comes alongside mothers and the entire family to provide community and help set them up for success in life. It’s a privilege to serve on a board of such a great organization that is ready to love and serve every person who walks through the doors.

The verse I like is Mathew 6:19-21 which says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves to not break in and steal. For where your treasure is , there your heart will be also.

Joel Smith

BOARD SECRETARY

Aircraft Mechanic at Indiana Air National Guard

More About Joel

I’m 40 (almost) years old, married to Kimberly for 15 years and we have 3 kids (Rhys 13, Mia 12 and Ryder almost 9 (Feb.5)) I joined the Air Force at 17 and have been in for going on 23 years. We love to travel and enjoy seeing new things and places.

I am passionate about assisting the entire family unit to build stronger connections and a better community. I love how the entire family unit (mom, dad, kids and couples) can do classes or get resources to thrive at home. To see many of the clients going to church and finding new faith is a testament to the way God is guiding Helping Hands and shaping it to what our community needs.

Gayla Gerber

Owner and HR Manager at Outdoor Concepts.

More About Gayla

Steve and I have been married for over 40 years and live in Bluffton, both of us have lived in Wells County all our lives. Together we have built a wonderful family and life – 3 sons, 1 daughter, 3 daughter in laws, 1 son in law, and 8 grandkids. We operate our business as a mission and love people and privileged to employ & work with many. I enjoy time with our family and friends, being at the lakes, and bike riding.

I am involved at Helping Hands because of many reasons, but one is because my family has experienced addiction firsthand, and this led us to recognize how it affects entire family. In addition, I believe that to change lives, the whole family (father, mother, and child) should be invested in.

I live my life with Colossians 3 in mind.

Jeni Meeks

Middle School Math Teacher Southern Wells Jr/Sr High School

More About Jeni

David and I have been married for 24 years and live in Bluffton. David is active duty military for the Indiana Air National Guard. Our son Cole and daughter in law Gabbi are parents to Lucas, our grandson. Cole also works for the Indiana Air National Guard and Gabbi teaches preschool for Hope Missionary Church. Grace, our oldest daughter is a full time student at Ball State and our youngest daughter, Sophia, is a sophomore at Southern Wells Jr/Sr High School. I have been a middle school teacher for 15 plus years, but I also teach ballet for Creative Arts Dance Academy in Bluffton. I have been teaching Ballet for 20 plus years.

I am currently serving on the board at Helping Hands because I realize the need and importance that Helping Hands fulfills in our community. My husband and I many years ago were very young, frightened soon to be parents, but we had the love and support of our families and the Lord to walk us through those first moments of hopelessness and feelings of defeat. Helping Hands provides this love and support to our clients as well as a chance to begin a relationship with God when a family support system is not present.

I feel like this verse from 1John 3:18 fits our mission well: "...let us not love with words or speech (only) but with actions and in truth."

Bryant Barger

Lawyer at Dale, Huffman, and Babcock

More About Bryant

I am a Wells County native and the son of a third-generation farm family. Born and raised just outside of Bluffton, I attended Norwell High School, Taylor University, and Indiana University Maurer School of Law. I now practice law with Dale, Huffman & Babcock. I enjoy spending time with his family, helping my father on the farm, and the occasional friendly game of pickleball.

I am serving on the board of Helping Hands because I believe in helping to meet the needs of those in our community who seek assistance in improving their lives and the lives of those they love. In pursuit of Christ's example, Helping Hands plays an impactful role in meeting those needs in Bluffton, Wells County, and throughout northeast Indiana.

A Bible verse which has long encouraged me is Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (NLT)