Crowe honored for work with Clark County Community Services

People can’t say enough good things about Judy Crowe.

Winchester Mayor Ed Burtner praised her organizational ability, her caring attitude, knowledge of the community and willingness to help, just to name a few attributes.

Community volunteer Will Hodgkin called her a “committed community servant.”

Now, though, Crowe wants to be known as a wife and mother. After leading Clark County Community Services for 13 years, Crowe will step down at the end of the year to spend more time with her family.

“I’m going to be 65 in February,”¿Crowe said. “It’s time.”

Both Crowe’s husband, Larry Crowe, and daughter have chronic health problems, and Crowe said she wants to be available to them. She also hopes to spend more time volunteering at her church, Central Baptist, and getting to know the church’s new minister.

“The Lord orders my steps, and right now, he’s telling me it’s time for family and church,” Crowe said.

During her 13 years of service, Crowe has become a fixture in the community, volunteering her time to everything from Operation Happiness to the Clark County Ministerial Association. Her impact was apparent Tuesday morning as friends, colleagues and acquaintances filled Holly Rood for a retirement reception hosted by the Community Services board of directors.

“It’s not just been a job for you, it’s a passion,” board chairperson Tish Shupe said at the reception, thanking Crowe for her service.

Clark County Judge-Executive Henry Branham presented her with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Fiscal Court and the county, and Burtner gave her a key to the city.

Crowe was modest about her achievements, saying Community Services “won’t miss a beat,” but she did point out that several partnerships have been put in place during her tenure, which should benefit the agency in the years to come. Since she took over management of Community Services, partnerships have developed with both the God’s Pantry Food Bank and the Ark of Mercy Church of God’s food bank.

Community Services also is the recipient of a new truck from the Toyota 100 Cars for Good campaign.
Prior to her work at Community Services, Crowe had been an active at Central Baptist and said she was already doing many of the things her job requires. When former director Jerry Reams retired, she approached the board about hiring her, and she was given the job.

The decision proved to be a good one, and Crowe said it will be hard to walk away, but she stressed she is not retiring from service, only full-time employment.

“Larry said he wants his wife back,” Crowe said, adding that she hopes to assist him with his duties as a deacon at Central Baptist.

Hodgkin met Crowe several years ago through his work with the Clark County Community Foundation, and has seen firsthand how hard she will work to assist those in need.

“Her commitment as a public servant is beyond compare,”¿Hodgkin said.

Her work, he said, has built Community Services into the full-service agency it is today.

“Judy’s just a very special lady,” Hodgkin said.

Jennifer Palmer met Crowe five years ago, first as a board member then as a Community Services employee. During that time, Palmer said she has learned a lot about working with the community and serving others, thanks to Crowe’s example.

“I feel like the Lord has blessed Judy with the ability to do the job that she has done here. Her faith has carried her a long way, and she’s smart and learned as she went,”¿Palmer said. “Judy takes on a lot of tasks and she’s able to accomplish them and get them done, so I’ll miss her energy around here.”

The Community Services board of directors has not announced a replacement yet, but the agency will continue normal operations in the interim.

For more information about Community Services call 744-5034, or visit www.clarkcommunityservices.org.

Contact Rachel Gilliam  at rparsons@winchestersun.com.