The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Ashton Greer and Nicole Van Hyfte
If you’ve been involved with anything in Hoopeston, chances are you know Valarie Hinkle. Valarie is the Community Liaison for Gibson Hospital and Health Services and serves at the president of the Hoopeston Chamber of Commerce.
After graduating from Hoopeston High School in 1973, Valarie started working at the American Can Company, now Silgan. Shortly after, she married her husband, Mark Hinkle, and had two daughters – Shannon and Stacey. After that, she worked at the Longfellow Insurance Agency, FMC, and then was a receptionist at Hoopeston Hospital ER until she was recruited by Gibson, where she has been since 2009.
Being the first Community Liaison, she represents the company by volunteering and being involved. She serves on several boards including Gibson Hospital, the Hoopeston Multiagency, and the Vermilion County Mental Health Initiative. She volunteers at the Multiagency Food Pantry, the Eastern Illinois Food Bank, works with State Representative Tom Bennett, and helps support Hoopeston businesses in any way she can. She is also a longtime member of Vermilion Advantage and loves the partnerships that has created.
Valarie’s passion for downtown Hoopeston came along with her position with the Hoopeston chamber. It inspired her and her husband to purchase a building and start a retail, resale shop, Simply Treasure, which started a chain reaction with other businesses opening in the area. They ran the business for 6 years, and then sold it to local residents who are now operating a salon in the space.
Valarie plans to retire in 2023 to spend more time with her husband, four children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
In her down time, Valarie loves to decorate, read, and spend as much time as she can on the water. She loves the rural, peaceful life she leads in her hometown of Hoopeston.
Valarie, thank you for all you do for the City of Hoopeston. You are a real inspiration and have made your mark on your community.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
