ZANESVILLE – He is an extraordinary volunteer.
“Growing up,” recalls Matt Schreiber, “I was always active in sports, playing football, baseball, basketball and running track. As I got a little older, I always thought I would like to be a coach. Although I didn’t pursue a career in coaching, I recognized the influence my coaches had on my desire to give back. They all did everything humanly possible to help me and my teammates not only with the sports we played, but with life lessons. I also witnessed my dad and mom, Randy and Jeri, volunteer for our sports teams and at various school events whenever they could.”
Today, Schreiber is vice president of the Forker Company and is involved in volunteer work.
“The Forker Company is a local employee benefits company,” he explained. “I was fortunate that the owners, Frank and Amy Dosch, not only encourage volunteerism and community support, but also lead by example.”
“I would say one of my first experiences giving back to the community,” he continued, “was joining the Jaycees and serving as president for two years. This led to other opportunities to give back through various community organizations over the years. I served on the board of the Zanesville Muskingum Chamber of Commerce, on the Muskingum County Community Foundation Council, and on the Eastside Community Ministry Board for 15 years, including two years as president. All of this allowed me to give back with my time, treasures, and talents. I got involved with Rotary in 2021, and Rotary’s motto fits right in with my approach to giving back and volunteering: ‘Selfless Service.’
“Currently,” he added, “I am with the Noon Rotary Club of Zanesville and am the President-elect and Race Director of the annual Race for Grace 5K. Proceeds from this event benefit the fight against local food insecurity through Rotary’s Healthy Body Health Minds program and Eastside’s food bank. I am the co-chair of Eastside’s annual golf outing, which raises funds to support the youth program. I am involved in community-based Big Brother Big Sisters, where I have been involved with my little one for over two years. And finally, and this is probably my favorite, I volunteer as a coach for my son Maddex and daughter Ansli’s youth sports teams.”
Jamie Trout is the executive director of Eastside Community Ministry.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Matt on several different community projects,” said Trout. “He served on our board for many years and is still an active volunteer. Matt has chaired our golf outing for over 10 years and this year’s outing raised $30,000. Matt’s commitment to our community through volunteerism and fundraising has made a tremendous impact on many people’s lives.”
Schreiber, 43, grew up in Zanesville, graduated from Zanesville High School in 1999 and graduated from Muskingum University in 2003 with a degree in mathematics and minors in business and economics. He joined Forker Company 22 years ago.
“I’ve been very blessed in my life and I want to give back to the community I grew up in,” he said. “I’ve had numerous mentors over the years, my grandparents, parents, coaches and bosses, and I try to follow in their footsteps.”
“I want to make Zanesville an even better place for my children,” he concluded. “I believe that by giving back, I can be part of that progress. I also hope that someone feels encouraged to give back or volunteer when they see what a difference they can make by donating just a little bit of time.”
The Forker Company is located at 964 Grove Road. For more information, visit www.forkercompany.com.
Aces of Trades is a weekly series that focuses on people and their jobs – whether they’re unusual jobs, funny jobs, or people who make ordinary jobs extraordinary.
