I’m A Clubwoman

Lifelong Inspiration

by callie on 02/05/09 at 8:25 pm

Callie and Mary Lou

Who is my mentor? My life has been influenced by so many great and wonderful women, but one that sticks out is our local Pierian Club president, Mary Lou Gilbreath. Mary Lou has been part of my life for a very long time.

In fact, I remember at a very young age going over to her house and hanging out with her children. She taught school with my mother, and I was often seen hanging out in her classroom after hours. She dealt with some of the more difficult students, ones with learning disabilities and children that sometimes didn’t fit the model of the average student. She did so tirelessly, and it is thanks to her that the special students always felt special and many of them went on to succeed after leaving her classroom.

Now as a retiree she is the much-needed glue that holds our tiny chapter of the Pierian Club together. She is always graciously opening up her home for executive committee meetings or our regular club meetings.

There have been many times when I felt discouraged, and an e-mail or phone call from her came my way giving me much-needed encouragement. It was she that invited me to join the Pierian Club, an invitation that I gladly accepted.

That is why on this “Thank Your Mentor Day,” I would like to thank Mary Lou Gilbreath.