Service

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. -Galatians 5:13

David and Sharron Coley have exemplified a life of service since they first enlisted in the U.S. Air Force decades ago. They put their lives on the line to protect the countless liberties of the United States, along with the millions of civilians that reside within its borders. Sharron even holds the honorable distinction of being the first female African American pilot to fly the massive C-5 airplane around the world. Both Sharron and David were active duty service members during the tragic 9/11 attacks of 2001. During that time, David was in charge of preparing and maintaining the C-5 cargo plane that his wife would courageously fly into Baghdad during the Iraq War. Needless to say, the duo served their country well. The Coley’s have taken that same heart of service into their local communities and hope to invest the extra time that financial freedom brings into worthy causes.

Despite being busy with school, the Coley children have already begun to make their mark as compassionate humanitarians. Their son has spent a significant amount of time partnering with Habitat for Humanity, while their daughter has traveled to Guatemala to help increase families’ access to technology and necessities such as clay ovens for shared meals. The initiative that these future leaders have shown in lending their time and efforts to others comes as no surprise to their parents. David and Sharron always made sure to stress the importance of living selflessly. Even as young children, the kids were taught life lessons of service through Christmas. Instead of placing all the emphasis on toys and gifts, David and Sharron signed the family up for holiday volunteer opportunities at local shelters.

When asked about his future plans to give back in meaningful ways, David spoke of his vision to dive head first into several community service projects. One of his biggest focus areas is addressing the economic disparity that exists in neighborhoods like the ones that he and Sharron grew up in. He sympathizes with those who: lack adequate opportunities for growth, struggle with hunger and homelessness or are stuck in a cycle of poverty. He and his family are dedicated to doing all they can to positively impact the lives of the less fortunate.