My Mentor, My Friend

by sharon on 01/20/09 at 3:31 pm

Sharon and Norma Jean

Have you ever met someone and knew right away that you could be fast friends? That was the feeling I had when I first met our club’s then president-elect, Norma Jean Swam. Within a few months we were comparing “mother stories” and leaning on each other for support through times when we both spread ourselves too thin or just needed someone to listen and understand.

Norma Jean is the volunteer-extraordinaire – she is leadership chair (aka, CEO) of her church and an active member of many church committees. In addition she is on the Domestic Violence Board for Carroll County, and formerly a board member for the Carroll County Child Care and the Historic Preservation Commission. With all these commitments she still finds the time to help me navigate my way through various volunteer activities in the community and encourages me to pursue opportunities with GFWC.

Because of her I agreed to co-chair the conservation department and helped organize the district meeting our club hosted last fall. She dragged me to state convention (which I thoroughly enjoyed) and now I’m looking forward to other opportunities to meet more amazing women and learn more about the organization.

Personally, Norma Jean helped me find a place to call “home.” I’m new to this community and recently retired. She helped me get involved in the right organizations where I can grow and make a contribution to the community. She raises the bar when it comes to giving back to the community and she is an inspiration to everyone who knows her.

Thank you, Norma Jean, for everything you do – every day- for all of us.