Zoeller Ministries, Inc.

Senator Richard (Dick) Shank (Pastor and Zoeller Ministries, Inc. Chaplain) changed his address from planet earth to to God's throne room on Sunday, 13 September 2009 about 2:30 PM, just as we were completing our 11th Annual "Kids Racing For Life" event in Sebring. A program that he assisted with for years and dearly loved and that was done in 2009 in his honor...

Eileen and I have spent most of our married lives (50 years in 2009) in Elkhart, Indiana with our children, Larry, David and Sharon plus our grandchildren and great grandchildren. We operated Dick Shank Real Estate, a developer and builder of residential homes during that time. Being frustrated with the tax laws in the 1960's, I ran successfully for State Representative in 1966. The opportunity to move up to the Senate occurred in 1976 where I served until 1988.

We began wintering in Ft. Myers, Florida shortly after that. Eileen and I have always attended church with our family but now that we were semi-retired felt called by God to be more involved and give back to our church and community. We have both taken additional training for service, including Chaplain training at the Billy Graham Cove Training Center. In addition I am a Certified Lay Leader in the United Methodist Church and serve as a Lay Pastor.

We both volunteer at our local Hope Hospice end of life facility. I assist the Chaplain in counseling families about the importance of God in their lives, especially during these traumatic times. God created each of us, we are his and what a blessing to know we can spend eternity with him.

Watching TV one evening we saw Stephen and Stephanie Zoeller discussing their racing and children's ministry and gave then a call.
We have served with them in their ministry for several years and have found
the children's programs particularly rewarding.

I had some dirt track racing experience in the 1950's which has been helpful in our ministry to drivers and their crews. We have found Stephen and Stephanie to be truly God filled servants and have been blessed abundantly in our service to God's kingdom through their ministry.

I ran across this picture of myself and my 37 Chevy doing the checkered flag lap. It's not very clear, is in black and white but does show me in action!!! This picture was taken the week after my crash which injured my chin for which I still have a scar, you can maybe see the band-aid on my chin. They always say when you get thrown, get back on the horse and ride!!! This picture was taken mid-April of 1955.