Woman of the year, activist for community
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A common theme runs throughout the roll call of The Republic’s Women of the Year.
Each of the 31 recipients of the honor has given of herself to others in a variety of ways, but there is one quality they all share. Each, in her own way, has taken a hands-on approach to her selfless efforts to better the lives of those less fortunate.
Certainly they have all served on boards and committees. Some have presided as presidents or chairwomen of boards. Others have made significant monetary donations to worthy causes.
But none has been afraid to get involved in her community at the most basic level possible, be it taking food to shut-ins, spending time with the elderly, cleaning up after fundraising events, driving disabled people to church or the grocery, or simply listening and showing people who might have thought otherwise that there are people who truly care.
Peggy Wampler, the 2012 Woman of the Year who will be honored at 5:30 p.m. today at a reception at Donner Center, matches all those descriptions. Indeed, the Columbus woman is viewed by those who know her as a blur of activity. Said one admirer, “I go to a lot of events and activities for not-for-profit organizations, and I seem to run into her at every one of them.”
Throughout her life as a community activist, she has focused on helping at Columbus Regional Hospital. She has developed a multifaceted approach to her volunteerism, with duties such as performing hearing screenings on newborn infants, staffing the hospital front desk, delivering flowers, tracking down wheelchairs and spending time with families in the waiting room of the emergency department.
But those are only a few of the roles she has assumed throughout the community. It would be difficult to find a more vocal supporter of Mill Race Center or a more dedicated volunteer who is willing to take on whatever assignment she is given.
Much of her life has been spent in giving to others.
Tonight, it is time for all those others to give back to her
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