Women 'Making A Difference' With Every Monday Matters

STILLWATER, Minn. (WCCO) -- Twice a month, WCCO-TV gets to do something pretty fun — surprise someone who's helping others. This week's Making a Difference winners are Suzanne Rode and Lisa Rambo who started Every Monday Matters.

They were volunteering at Valley Outreach Food Shelf in Stillwater when WCCO's Amelia Santaniello surprised them with the award.

Once the shock wore off, Rode and Rambo explained how they turned a hard day of the week into a special one.

"Instead of having Mondays be the day I start my diet or the day that I dread of the week, I'm gonna make Every Monday Matter," said Rambo.

A year later, Rode and Rambo are still coming up with new ways to help friends and strangers alike.

"Some nights we make seven meals, some nights ... we made up to 25 meals in one day ... and then we go and just deliver them and surprise people," said Rambo.

Writing letters for troops -- they've done it. Shoveling snow for strangers -- done that, too.

Rode said they definitely get something out of it.

"It fills us up, tremendously to give back to other people," she said.

"It's raining today, I'm going to go to Wal-Mart and walk people to their car, so they don't get wet," said Rambo. "Sometimes it's a lot of work, and sometimes it's no work, it's just seeing a need and filling it."

What's really amazing is how these two manage to fit in service with everything else on their plate. They work. Rambo has four kids and Rode's got three.

Still they find time to help other people.

For Making a Difference, they received $500 from American Equity Mortgage and WCCO. The pair was nominated by Rambo's sister.

WCCO-TV's Amelia Santaniello Reports