Mrs. Shirley Keyes of Signal Mountain was named at the 2014 Signal Mountain Woman of the Year Wednesday at the annual Signal Mountain Community Guild Dogwood Luncheon.
"This year's recipient was selected because she is an example of volunteerism," said Lara Buchheit, chairman of the Woman of the Year selection committee, as she made the announcement, which is the highlight of the annual luncheon.
According to the presentation, Mrs. Keyes has been a resident of Signal Mountain for 45 years and has been an asset to the community ever since. "She started making her mark on the mountain in her home as the consummate hostess, making one feel that she had known one forever. She extended this to her work with the Welcome Wagon, making each newcomer she met feel like they'd made a friend here."
Her volunteer contributions included serving in a variety of way as a board member of the Signal Mountain Playhouse, as an election worker for her precinct, and a volunteer as a member of the Guild in helping Lions Club 4th of July and Labor Day picnics. She helped in the Guild's production of the Signal Mountain Telephone Book and took on the task of collecting advertisements for several years as well as making calls to check for the accuracy of the contents.
She was an involved parent in her children's schools until they graduated and has been and continues to be a monthly volunteer at the Signal Mountain Social Services Food Pantry. Her service extends beyond the mountain. She not only knits caps for breast cancer patients but also has served as a dedicated worker in the fundraising for her church's Haitian mission. She put in many hours with the annual yard sale and in addition worked as a volunteer with the Sunshine food committee and as a lay minister.
As her daughter said, she has instilled in others including, but not limited to, her children, the importance of reaching beyond one's self and family and giving back to your community. She continues to live up to the Signal Mountain Community Guild's mission of service.