Helping others has always been a way of life for Annabelle Simmons. Even as a young child she helped her classmates to learn math by explaining it to them using “plain English.” When she decided to have her children, she instilled in them the importance of being generous to others. Friends and family members reminisce on how Mrs. Simmons rewarded them by taking them out to do free activities on Friday evenings.
Mrs. Simmons was introduced to the Live Well by Faith health initiative after becoming the Stewardship Chairperson at her church, St. Luke United Methodist Church. Live Well by Faith is an “evidence-based health program addressing hypertension and promoting a healthy lifestyle a monthly diabetes support group, an eight-week weight loss competition, and a six-week cooking course.’’ Live Well by Faith volunteer supervisor, Verna Laboy explained how Mrs. Simmons had to “walk the talk” by first adopting a healthy lifestyle after she retired from Shelter Insurance.
When looking towards the future, Mrs. Simmons wants to make Columbia a more inclusive city by encouraging the local government to install public restrooms in the downtown area. She is also passionate about improving the local bus transit system. Mrs. Simmons credits the support of Robert, her husband of 43 years for encouraging her to take on opportunities to help others. By following her daily mantra of “Do it now,” Mrs. Simmons continues to help improve the Columbia community.
The City of Columbia says thank you to Annabelle Simmons for her dedicated volunteer service.
Written by Volunteer Patrika Brown
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