Investing in hope and values
Hope is hard to come by these days, but Barb and Rollie Anderson want to change that. “I can’t think of a better place to invest your dollar today than in the youth of tomorrow,” says Rollie. “That’s where we can change the world—bit by bit, person by person.” That’s why he and Barb have gifted Bethel $20 million to help launch the new Anderson Family College of Health Sciences—equipping future healthcare providers who will serve others with competence and Christ-like care.
They believe their giving is a responsibility and also evidence of God working in their lives. “We’ve been blessed beyond our expectation in many ways—not just monetarily but also in terms of opportunity. So, we feel very strongly that we’re stewards and have a responsibility to the greater community,” says Rollie.
Learning values
That belief, along with a strong work ethic, solidified early for both Rollie and Barb. In 1955, Rollie’s dad Harold bought a small trucking company in St. Cloud, Minnesota, which would grow to become Anderson Trucking Services (ATS), a shipping solutions and logistics company. “It had three trucks, a loading shed, and a small office,” says Rollie. “And only one of the trucks worked!” During his high school years he recalls working in the shop, fixing trailers, and folding tarps. “My dad was not afraid to make me work. He had me doing all the things he thought I needed to learn to be in the Army,” says Rollie. During college, he began driving a truck and working in the office.