The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Jodie Ingram
Elizabeth Silver is a lifelong Vermilion County resident and a proud Cornjerker. She was raised by two wonderful parents that taught her God, family and community should be the priorities in your life. Elizabeth and her husband, Michael, have been married for 12 years and have two amazing children, Peyton and Parker. Michael is also a lifelong member of the Hoopeston community and they are very proud to have come back to Hoopeston to raise their family. They are fortunate enough to have both of their parents and several siblings living in Hoopeston so they truly get the experience of raising their kids with a “village”.
Elizabeth lives by the mantra “leave it better than you found it.” This applies to all areas of her life – from the simple everyday things like picking up after yourself in a public place, to very big events like joining a board and using your influence to positively impact someone’s life. She is a firm believer if you are going to complain about something, then you better also do something about it. If you want your community to be better, you cannot wait around for someone else to do it.
Elizabeth is a great example of being involved in the community and using her influence for good. She currently serves on the Hoopeston Board of Education, the Vermilion Valley Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Hoopeston Youth Baseball. She is also involved in helping the Rotary of Hoopeston and United Fund of Grant Township put on various fundraising events. She assists the City of Hoopeston with the Light Up McFerren Park Christmas display and the 4th of July festivities through fundraising and event planning. She and her husband are involved with the Danville Area Soccer Association as Hoopeston representatives.
It doesn’t take long to realize that Elizabeth loves where she lives. Although, after attending Olivet Nazarene, she never considered moving back home. She truly believed her, and her husband would end up living in a larger city where she could work for a national not for profit organization and help large groups of people. God however, had other plans for them. Upon graduation, Elizabeth was given the opportunity to work for her hometown hospital and be directly involved with all community involvement and marketing. It was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up and is glad that she didn’t!
Elizabeth explained that small towns often get bad raps, but she has met some of the kindest and most compassionate souls in Vermilion County. If there is a need, people respond, from providing meal trains to fixing homes, people show up for one another. People show up because we are a community and that is what we do. Not a lot of communities can say that!
Thank you, Elizabeth Silver, for showing up for your community. Thank you for being the change that continues to make Vermilion County a better place. Your volunteerism and hometown pride has not gone unnoticed, you are an appreciated and valued part of 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.
