The hammock slung between two shade trees looked inviting on a recent afternoon.
Just because the hammock is in her west side Columbus backyard, that doesn’t mean Elizabeth Kestler has had much of a chance to use it. Kestler, 58, has spent about half of her adult life overseeing the dramatic growth of the nonprofit Love Chapel food pantry, also known as the Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches. It’s a commitment that doesn’t leave a lot of time for relaxation.
Kestler’s work offers the most visible and extensive help available for struggling local residents, providing everything from food to help with rent and utilities.
And all the while, the Love Chapel executive director has volunteered time for causes ranging from the United Way of Bartholomew County to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church to the American Red Cross to Sunrise Rotary Club. For all those contributions, she has been named The Republic’s 37th Woman of the Year.
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The award honors one Bartholomew County woman each year for unselfish contributions toward creating a vital community and a high quality of life with an emphasis on long-term activity, hands-on work and diverse involvement. Begun in 1981 by former Republic features editor Jean Prather, the award highlights a female leader with a broad history of giving time and talent for others.
Kestler will be honored at a free public reception at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at Donner Center, 739 22nd St. in Columbus.
Sharing the recognition
"It’s surreal," the Hope native said of the honor, which triggered tears of gratitude when she was told. "I don’t feel like I deserve it at all. For what I have done the past 20 years or so, I have had an awful lot of help. We have worked as a team."
That pronoun "we" refers to her husband John, and their children Hannah, Grace and Noah. While taking a moment on her home’s begonia-festooned deck, she looked over at her spouse, recently retired from Cummins Inc., and smiled. He’s not using the hammock, either.
"He does laundry and cooks," she said.
Her "we" reference also points to her 13 Love Chapel staffers and 225 volunteers, whom she praises for their attitude, efficiency, concern for others, you name it.
"Really, I have just been doing my job," she said, when told what some of the letters supporting her nomination have said. "And I’ve really been led by God to do it. It’s part of my faith."
It’s a faith seasoned by years of social service work, from Alabama to Pennsylvania. And it’s a faith that hurts for those who come to the pantry after devastating illness, job loss, divorce or any other heartache that puts once self-sufficient people at the mercy of need.
"To me, economic discrimination is as big as other types of discrimination," Kestler said.
She is so tender-hearted that she regularly has encouraged her children to reach out in friendship to those often ignored or perhaps on the periphery of the easily accepted crowd. She still firmly believes that many of the disadvantaged are overlooked too often.
"One of my goals always has been to bridge that gap in the community between the people who don’t seem to have anything and those who do, because there often seems to be a misunderstanding of who each other is," Kestler said.
She also has built bridges among area Christians, helping organize an annual, ecumenical Good Friday service that attracts more than 200 diverse believers, and one that has sometimes left worshipers misty-eyed contemplating God’s sacrifice — and their unity with those of differing denominations. So she has helped feed people spiritually as well as physically.
Growing up with a diverse background that included the abundantly blessed and the not-so-blessed opened Kestler’s eyes to the importance of the two groups seeing each other as equals in the eyes of God and human dignity.
"It comes back to my faith," she said.
What others say
As much as Kestler feels unworthy of the award, those who submitted letters supporting her nomination would beg to differ.
Local attorney Jeff Crump, who has worked with her on the Love Chapel board almost since she began her post in 1999, called her "honest, faithful and an effective leader and manager." And he added, "Her employees love her."
Kestler frequently has spoken about the importance of treating struggling families with dignity and the compassion of Christ. Others have noticed. Columbus City Council member Elaine Wagner lauded Kestler as one "who leads with her heart."
Several people supporting her nomination readily gave her partial credit for the launch of the Love Chapel Foundation in 2007, and for helping Columbus Township Trustee Ben Jackson launch Brighter Days Housing shelter for homeless people in 2016.
"Elizabeth has a heart that pleases God," said Hope resident and lifelong friend Lisa Long in a supporting letter.
Even the winner’s own daughter, Grace Kestler, mentioned that her own role as community outreach coordinator at the local nonprofit agency Advocates For Children can be traced to seeing her mom work tirelessly in social service while helping others.
"She has shown me what true giving and community looks like," Grace Kestler said.
She will retire from Love Chapel Jan. 25. For now, she is uncertain what that will mean for her schedule.
That hammock could look more and more inviting.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About Elizabeth Kestler” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Age: 58.
Born: In Indianapolis, but moved to Hope at age 2 and grew up there.
Family: Husband John; three children, Hannah Kestler Shaffer, Grace Kestler and Noah Kestler.
Position: Executive director, Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches, since 1999. Retiring in January.
Volunteer experience through the years: Administrative board of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church; St. Peter’s Sunday School volunteer; United Way of Bartholomew County board; Vacation Bible School volunteer; member of Sunrise Rotary Club; board member of the American Red Cross; volunteer for Harrison Township Fire Company Omelet Brunch.
Prior social service jobs: Worked in a detention center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of a college internship; former US2 United Methodist missions program at Dumas Wesley Community Center in Mobile, Alabama; former director of social services at The Cabbage Patch Settlement House working with youth and families in Louisville, Kentucky; operated three child care centers in upstate New York; developed a plan for a community center within a housing project in Dallas, Texas.
Education: 1977 Hauser High School graduate; undergraduate sociology degree from Hanover College; community ministries master’s degree from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Woman of the Year reception” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Who: Elizabeth Kestler, the 37th Republic Woman of the Year, will be honored at a free public reception.
When: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Donner Center, 739 22nd St. in Columbus. No reservations necessary.
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