by Julie Gabell

 

 

        Little things mean a lot to Ceil Walsh who claims she has never done anything particularly notable. Somewhere along the line, however, her “little things” morphed into big, and made her a valuable contributor in the Beacon Woods community.
       Originally from Syracuse, New York, Ceil, the eldest of seven, grew up in a loving household where give and take was the norm. Her parents were her role models, and she attributes to them the fact that she and her siblings learned the value of service through their example.
       Ceil met her future husband at a wedding reception and married him two years later. At the time, she was employed by the New York Telephone company where she continued to work until the birth of the couple’s first child. She put her career on hold until two additional arrivals, her daughter and another son “left the nest” for school. Then, eager to branch out into something beyond diapers and Betty Crocker, she returned to Nynex, working her way up through the ranks to become manager of an Accounting/Computer Operations unit.
       After she retired, Ceil followed the sun to Florida where in 1994 she discovered Beacon Woods and knew it would be an ideal place to settle in. It was not long after that, that her volunteerism blossomed. Believing that “if she were not a part of the solution, she was part of the problem,” she ran for the BW Board of Directors and won. For the next four years, she served successively as Director, Vice President, and President, working on such committees as Adult and Youth, Public Affairs, and Special Assignments. She also obtained speakers of interest to the community. Most recently, Ceil’s role as Supervisor of Elections has placed her in the position of overseeing the fifteen counters who tally the votes for BW directors, verifying them with Maggi Kosuda, and announcing the results at the annual Board meeting.
       Fitness buffs among us can well thank Ceil who was the prime mover in getting our pool heated and the exercise room up and running in the Civic Center. A fun-loving woman of many facets, she has occasionally been spotted as the Easter Bunny and Mrs. Santa at appropriate times of the year. Though she has never claimed to be the Great Pumpkin, she has helped at our community Halloween Party.
       For one who claims she has done nothing “notable,” Ceil has been a very busy woman-about-town. Early on, she organized a kid’s cleanup brigade to beautify the area around Clocktower. She took part in the Sherriff’s adult training, has been a FEMA volunteer, and is a member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).  As chairperson of the Walmart ad hoc committee, she worked for the privacy and safety of our community; in her “spare time” she has volunteered at the Hudson Sea Fest.
       Ceil lives with a song in her heart. She loves music and, as a young person, participated in high school musicales, sang on television, and studied piano. A happy disposition led her to the Joygerms—an organization whose aim is distributing smiles and spreading joy and good will. “Life just doesn’t drop in,” she says. “You have to grab opportunities and make them happen.” And this is precisely the way she has always lived: giving to others and believing that little things make a difference.
       When the votes are in, Ceil Walsh comes out a winner for her friendly personality and willingness to pitch in.