The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
“Lisa is so deserving of this recognition for the work she does for veterans.”
Lisa Knapp is a Vermilion County native that has settled in Danville with her husband of 26 years. She graduated from Jamacia High School and went to Texas College for three years in Dallas. However, she knew that being in Danville would make her the happiest because that is where her family is. With nineteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren, Danville is her home. Lisa chooses Danville because she loves the people and the community. She says, “I love the way everyone is so willing to step up and help their neighbors.”
Lisa has been a certified medical assistant for the last 30 years. She tried to retire in June 2022 but was quickly back in the field with Premise Health in October of the same year. Lisa says, “I love seeing happy employees coming in to get a check-up because they don’t have to pay an outrageous copay or crazy insurance fees.”
Lisa is the head of the American Legion 210 Entertainment committee and has organized numerous events to benefit the veterans in the community. Before Lisa was in these positions, she was helping organize the Kennekuk Road Runners and doing summer fun runs. This is what pushed her into starting a Veteran’s Day 5K which brings in funds to improve the Legion Post 210 and allowed her to put together blessing bags for the veterans of the community.
Lisa clearly loves serving the veterans in our community. Her greatest inspiration is the people in her life that have served or are currently serving. At the Legion, her goal was to help create a space where they would be surrounded by people with similar or shared experiences. Some of the events that the Legion hosts are geared towards younger people with families because without the younger generations the legion won’t be able to continue. She says, “I want to bring in the younger generations so the Legion can have a future that thrives. Some of these young men and women come back from deployments and need a space where they know they’re safe.”
Thankfully, Lisa Knapp is someone that has helped bring more and more people to the American Legion. She continues to host events and runs to raise money for the veterans of the area, and with the support of the community she has been able to get necessities for the veterans. We are so grateful to have a servant-leader like Lisa in our 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.
