So many in the area know Shirley Kiss for her years of devoted service to those in need. Whether it was a box of food to get them through a hard time, a tank full of gas to help someone to his destination or a shoulder to lean on, as director of We Care of Grundy County, Kiss was there for those who were sometimes in their darkest hours.

What most don’t know, however, is the story behind Kiss’s empathy. She knows about being in those “darkest hours.” She was there herself, many times.