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Patsy Dowling, left, and Irene Hooper were
honored at the Women to Match Our Mountains equality celebration
Aug. 28 held at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
– Herald photo by Rose Hooper
By Rose Hooper
Two Jackson County women were among those honored Aug. 28 at the
Women to Match Our Mountains equality celebration held at UNC-Asheville.
Patsy Dowling and Irene Hooper were commended for exemplifying
the value of women and their role in public service and as role
models to others.
Other honorees in the region were Nelda Holder, Patsy Keever,
Hazel Fobes and Phyllis Rogers. Elspeth Clarke and Phyllis Sherrill
were honored in memoriam.
Dowling
Dowling, nominated by the board of directors of the Community
Table, is a "mountain woman who has come full circle,"
said nominator Veronica Nicholas during the awards ceremony.
"Patsy is a graduate of the Head Start program and has never
forgotten her roots, nor the benefits the program gave her, and
has striven, even in high school, to serve the programs that benefited
her as a child. As executive director of Mountain Projects –
and thus, Head Start, she has truly come through the ranks to
be able to serve the children and families of Western North Carolina."
In the past two years Dowling negotiated the purchase of 9 acres
for a Head Start building, Mountain Projects office space and
self-help housing in Jackson County. She further negotiated the
purchase of Mountain Projects's main office, which includes Haywood
Public Transit, and has been involved in developing housing for
the elderly handicapped in Haywood County.
She was instrumental in developing and opening the Kneedler Child
Care Center on the Western Carolina University campus.
Dowling serves on several regional boards, such as the Southwestern
Child Development Commission, the Southwestern Economic Planning
and Development Commission and Region A Partnership for Children.
She graduated with a degree in social work from WCU and volunteers
with Special Olympics and United Way. Raised by a father, who
is a minister, she has a deep belief in faith in action and giving
back to the community, Nicholas said.
"In her own quiet way Patsy's gifts of openness and the ability
to be an active, collaborative partner have made dreams become
realities," said Nicholas. "She is a wonderful example
of what Head Start can offer a child as an introduction to learning
and widening horizons and to an understanding of what a community
action agency should be all about."
Dowling said what is important to her is "when you go home
in the evening, you've done something that helped another person."
Hooper
Described as "an encourager," Hooper was nominated by
the board of directors of Catch the Spirit of Appalachia.
"One of the biggest areas in which a person can be of the
greatest help to women and girls in our region is to validate,
encourage and support them in their endeavors," said nominator
Amy Garza.
"With her outstanding enthusiasm, Irene is teaching and leading
by example, touching the lives of all ages in our region. By rolling
up her sleeves and getting into the ‘fight' right up front
without a thought not to do so, Irene is sending a message that
we must get involved in order to affect change. The world needs
people such as this who unselfishly give from the heart,"
Garza said.
A graduate of Cullowhee High, Hooper studied at Southwestern Community
College, the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond.
She is a graduate of Jackson Leadership program and is retired
from management with Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Washington,
D.C.
The first mayor of the Village of Forest Hills, she is a N.C.
Senior Tar Heel legislator, a former N.C. Mother of the Year and
recipient of the Ernest B. Messer Senior Citizen of the Year.
She is a published author and has served three terms as president
of the Golden Age Center. She serves on numerous boards, including
the board of deacons at Cullowhee Baptist Church, where she teaches
Sunday school and is missions chairman.
She has been nominated four times as Distinguished Woman of North
Carolina for her outstanding service and for significant contribution
in volunteerism.
"With the scope of the volunteerism of this lady, there is
not one area of the community untouched by the generosity of her
time," said Garza.
Citing Hooper's mentorship in the public schools and WCU, Garza
said, "Irene has taken her experience into the minds of young
girls to encourage them to succeed, no matter what obstacles befall
them. This type of mentorship has proven to sustain decisions
and affect futures for our young."
"I would just like to be known as an encourager," said
Hooper in accepting the award.
Sponsored by the Western Carolina Women's Coalition, the program
also celebrated Women's Equality, commemorating the 83rd anniversary
of the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to
vote.
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