The following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree by Erin Gregory
“I have had a very good life. I am healthy, and I am happy.” – Marilyn Blanton
Marilyn Blanton is a Danville native. Originally from Layfette, Indiana, her family relocated here when she was only one year old. She went to Danville schools and has continued to live in the area. She has traveled to amazing places, from New York, to Spokane, Washington, and even to Europe. However, no matter where she traveled, Danville always called her back home. “I truly believe that home is where the heart is, and my heart is in Danville.”
She has worked and volunteered here since she can remember. She was the manager for the accounting department at Walgreens where she had the chance to meet the second and third Mr. Walgreen. Marilyn says, “It is truly a great company to work for and they treat their retirees so well.” During her time at Walgreens, she volunteered with their junior achievement program, which helped kids and teens find their place in the world. She retired from Walgreens and needed something to do with her time and so she chose to become an avid volunteer.
Marilyn participates on the Board of Directors for Old Town Preservation Association, Vermilion Heritage Foundation, Danville Historical Society, and the Survivor Resource Center. Marilyn says, “I really care about the preservation of this city’s history.” The street Marilyn lives on is an old brick road that the city once tried to cover with asphalt. She and her neighbors loved the look of it and the amount of history that it held so Marilyn went in front of the City Council along with some friends and helped secure an ordinance to protect brick streets in the city limits.
As a board member for the Vermilion Heritage Foundation, Marilyn was an integral part of protecting and restoring the Fischer Theater. The group had gathered all the money to buy the building and clean it out, and they had just enough in the budget to restore the marquee. The marquee caught the eye of Julius Hegler who loved the old theatre and wanted to see it in all its glory. He eventually donated several million dollars to further the restoration. Marilyn says, “History is what makes this town unique.”
When Marilyn isn’t working on preserving the history of Danville, she is a volunteer and board member at the Survivor Resource Center. She has completed the training to be on call to support the clients of the organization. She is with many people in their moments of fear, trauma, and heartache and says, “I love to be there for people and help them know they aren’t alone.” She feels for them and knows that sometimes all they need is someone to be present.
Marilyn is a woman that truly cares for the community of Danville and says, “We all take care of each other.” She is very passionate about historical preservation but also carries a genuine love for the city and people in her sphere of influence. It is a beautiful thing to meet Marilyn as she has a welcoming spirit, and you can see that she tries to keep a positive attitude in her service to others. She is determined to be active in the community, and even goes to a yoga class three times a week to stay in an active headspace.
We are truly thankful to Marilyn for her tenacity and fighting spirit that has protected history and survivors. She is a Danville gem.
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.
