The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Jodie Ingram
This week’s I am, You are, We are recipient is Linda Odle. Linda has positively impacted our community over the past several years in many ways. She has a love for her hometown Catlin and would love to see it grow. She has been married to her amazing husband Pete for nearly 44 years, she has 3 children, and 13 grandchildren.
Linda enjoys sharing her husband’s talents for the community to enjoy. If you have ever had the privilege of driving past their home in Catlin, you can appreciate the simplistic beauty of what flowers can bring. Linda and Pete’s flowers provide a viewing pleasure for the entire community. They have even had people stop by to ask if their home is a bed and breakfast! Linda gives all the flower credit to her husband and loves and appreciates all the hard work he pours into it.
Another thing you might notice as you’re driving past their home and relishing in its beauty, is the delectable aroma filling the air. Linda and her son Jeff are the owners of Encore Catering. Linda comes from a long line of cooks and her son is no exception. In 2010 the two decided to open a small catering business, Encore Catering. Encore Catering has been a wonderful and rewarding experience. She has been able to meet so many people and make new connections throughout the community. She did, however, announce that Encore will be closing at the end of the year. She is so grateful and appreciative for all the love and support their business has received.
Prior to the catering business Linda was the first Director of what is now known as the Women’s Care Clinic. The business started in a garage in 1996. Linda would often get needed office supplies from various auctions and try to rally up as many volunteers as necessary. In the early days of business, it was a true struggle, you never knew if payments were going to come in and many times they did not. Linda and the staff never gave up hope, their love for the clients outweighed the many challenges they faced. Throughout the years she has joined many women in the delivery room and has even been named God Parent to some of the babies. Linda was also the first newborn nursery secretary at the hospital and has worked as the secretary for Georgetown City Hall.
Through Linda’s various avenues of work, she has planted many seeds in Vermilion County. Whether it was a lady at the care clinic, a catering event, working at her church, or just lending a helping hand, her actions have helped people in our community bloom. It’s no wonder her husband shares a love for both Linda and flowers – like a flower Linda represents that growth, change and beauty can be found even in the most challenging circumstances.
Thank you, Linda Odle, for planting seeds of hope, hard work, love, and success into our community. Thank you for sharing your delicious cooking and your generous heart. You are a true blessing to Vermilion County!
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.
