“God’s Pit Crew has inspired me for years now. We have worked with them for a long time and being able to know Mr. Johnson personally, there is no one better to receive this. The work they do in and out of the community is unfathomable.
I chose Mr. Johnson as a 2017 Community Strong Person of the Year for his unwavering desire to help others. GPC serves approximately 175 non-profit agencies each year. Those agencies serve an additional 32,000+ local people per month.”
-Teresa Wiseman, 2016 Showcase Magazine Community Strong Person of the Year
Why is community involvement so important to you?
With all humbleness, why wouldn’t community involvement be important to all of us? This is the community we live in. It’s the community our family, friends, and neighbors live in. I want this to be the best community on planet Earth.
What inspires you to volunteer?
Volunteering is very rewarding. It makes you feel really good about what’s been accomplished at the end of the day. If more people start to ask the question, “What can I do for others?” then we will have a better community, a better neighborhood, a better nation, and we have a better world to live in. There are a lot of hurting people out there, and volunteers make a tremendous impact and difference in the lives of those people. Making a difference in people’s lives inspires me.
How do you balance life, work, and community involvement?
I have honestly answer that by saying almost all I do is work, and that’s by choice. I love what I do. I love that I have the opportunity to serve, run, and direct an organization that’s making an impact on our community, our nation, and around the world. An average work week is about 70 to 75 hours a week. So, there isn’t much time for other things, but we have to try and strike some sort of a balance and find time for life and other things.
What is the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?
As far as a leader is concerned, my former pastor Tim Knuckles told me when we first started God’s Pit Crew that whatever we do with GPC do your best to do it with excellence because not only does God deserve it, he expects it. I have found that to be good advice in everything we do in life. I would tell people to enjoy life, enjoy the journey.
Who are your real-life heroes and why?
I have many — first of all, my children, I’m grateful for them and what they do in life. Second, would be the mentors I’ve had in my life — Pastor Knuckles, Pastor Roger Ewing, Pastor Jackie Poe, lots of folks who’ve sewn into my life. Some of my biggest heroes are the volunteers I get to work with every day. To see people like James Hodge, David Willis, Ricky Hyler, and I could name dozens and dozens of people who give their time, talent, and treasures freely to make a difference in other people’s lives.
What is it about Danville that makes it special to you?
The people make it special. I’m continually blown away by away by the generosity and kindheartedness of the wonderful people who live here.
How do you recharge. What do you like to do outside of work and volunteerism?
If I have to be honest, I guess outside of work, I work some more. But I do enjoy spending time for my family. I don’t race anymore, but I still have one race car, so when I get a chance to run a few laps, that’s a good stress reliever for me.
What is your idea of happiness?
Good family, good friends, and doing what I get to do for a living. I feel honored and blessed that God’s given me the opportunity make a difference in people’s lives.
What are your favorite things to do in Danville?
I love going to the movies with my wife. I love to hang out at the Golden Leaf and places like that once in a while to have a quiet moment and a good meal.
What are your visions for the future of Danville?
My hopes and dreams is that we all come together to make this a better place to work and live. I want to see Danville continue to grow with new industry and job opportunities. Danville is just a wonderful city. I sweet spot in a great location and it’s full of great people. I see a bright future for Danville.
What are you most looking forward to in 2018?
Spending more time with my wife and family. I’m looking forward to the anticipation of GPC growing into a bigger and better organization to help others. I’m excited about what the future holds for GPC.