When Debbie Donnelly moved to Carolina Beach in 2018, she wanted to get busy. “I loved walking the beach and doing turtle patrol, but I also wanted to meet more people and do some community work.” Within six months, she’d joined Island Women.
Since then, Debbie has had her hands in many Island Women committees, choosing to do what makes her feel good. She became chair of the Crafty Chicks committee. When COVID started and masks were scarce, the group sewed and distributed more than 1,000 masks on and off the island. While the committee disbanded a few years later, Debbie continues to enjoy helping with many other committees such as Martha’s Kitchen, Bingo, Member Care, Special Flocking and the Beautification Committee. For the last four years, she has provided arts and crafts projects for the CBES Pumpkin Patch Festival and looks forward to continuing to work with the kids.
Currently, the community service that pulls on her heartstrings the most is working with Martha’s Kitchen. “Many times I’m involved in the dinner service and I’m in charge of handling food pick ups from Food Lion. I am happy to volunteer any time the opportunity arises!” Debbie is also the “egg person” for the pancake breakfast on the first Saturday of every month at the Katie B. Hines Senior Center.
Through her volunteer work, Debbie has met a lot of nice people and made many good friends. She encourages new members to reach out and get involved. “Touch base with the committees, any or all of them, and see which one grabs your fancy the most.”