The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree, by Erin Gregory
“There are so many great people in Vermilion County who are willing to be a part of a cause and help others.” – Debbie Michenfelder
Debbie was raised in Vermilion County on a small family farm in the Armstrong-Potomac area. Living in a small town creates certain values that tend to stick with you long into life. If you have grown up in a small town you probably have the experience of knowing everyone in your grade or school, waving at passing cars even if you don’t know the passengers, or helping neighbors with anything and everything. There is always a support system in place in small towns.
Recently Debbie has had to tap into her support system, “I find myself in a new chapter of my life. My husband of 20 years, Sky Michenfelder, passed away in December of 2023. While his loss is great, the stories and memories of Sky will always be with me.” Grieving a loss this great is difficult, but Debbie has managed to find the positives and will continue to honor Sky in helping others. Debbie’s family is her source of motivation and support, and she has three sons, Jeremy, Joshua, and John Frerichs. They each have families of their own and have grown her inspiration for helping others.
Debbie says, “The experiences I had growing up lead to life-long values that are still important to me today—helping others, a strong work ethic, creating and maintaining community, and committing to finishing a job.” Over the last 30 years she has worked in healthcare, and she began at United Samaritans Medical Center. The hospital then progressed to Provena United Samaritans, to Presence Health, and today resides as OSF healthcare.
Debbie started in the Community Relations Department and has now grown into the Major Gifts Officer in the Foundations department. “We were in charge of the Festival of Trees, which is a 26-year-old tradition in Vermilion County.” Other events she has helped organize are Kicking it Country, 100 Men Who Cook, and Purse-uit of Happiness. Debbie says that her, “why” revolves around “having a servant heart, dedication to my position, the importance of my family, and my passion for connecting with people. These collectively inspire and guide my personal and professional endeavors.”
Debbie is one of the amazing people in the community that is always willing to go out of her way to help others. Through her work she can support and raise money for the community, and she is able to passionately educate and raise awareness for important healthcare initiatives. “Connecting with people brings me immense joy, and I find fulfillment in building meaningful relationships and understanding the unique stories and experiences of others.”
There are many stories that Debbie could tell or that can be told about Debbie, but they all have one thing in common, it is easy to see how much Debbie appreciates this beautiful and mysterious life and those who have crossed paths with her throughout her journey.
We thank Debbie for all she has done for the community and for what she will continue to do. She is genuinely a bright light in Danville.
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.
