The Ripley Women’s Club was please to honor Amber Dudley at our Spring Banquet in 2016. Amber’s many contributions are well documented on the nomination letter submitted on her behalf:
“For years, I have watched with amazement, Amber Dudley. She grew up in Ripley. She attended and graduated from the Ripley Union Lewis Huntington School District where she was a member of the girl’s basketball team as well as a cheerleader for the Ripley Blue Jays. Amber’s children are Niya a college senior, Jaden a college Junior, Jaki a high school sophomore and Nigel a high school freshman.
It was not difficult for me to gather information on Amber from her friends and family. Everyone who was contacted was eager to provide information on this amazing young woman who has done so much for so many young and elderly people in our community.
When Reverend James Settles was informed that Amber was at the top of the list of my nominations for the coveted 2017 Ripley Women’s Club Citizen of the Year Award, his first response was “Wonderful Idea!” The following is information submitted by Reverend Settles.
“Amber is a lay preacher at the CME Baptist Church in Ripley. She has been and remains the director of the youth choir. She teaches Sunday school classes for the adults. She is a delegate to both our Cincinnati Dayton Indianapolis District and our Ohio Region for our domination conferences. Amber is also on the CME Stewardess Board and heads the Usher Board and Praise Team. She has been a teacher at the CME Baptist Church Regional Annual Conference for the children. She has been the Director for the Community Bible School for many years. She has also been a teacher for teens at the Bible School. This requires thousands of volunteer hours and over the years has involved hundreds of youth in our community in the activities of the interdenominational Bible School studies.”
Brittany Wilson had this to say about Amber.
“I have been involved with the pee wee programs for seven years and Amber has been the head of Pee Wee Cheerleaders all those years. I know she helped for years before I started. She has put in countless volunteer hours every Saturday during Pee Wee season. All these hours, not to mention money out of her own pocket! She is an angel for our community and our local programs. She deserves this nomination.”
TJ Huff:
“Amber has been a Pee Wee Cheerleading coach as well as an officer in the Pee Wee organization for many years. She has been a big part of the soccer program at the Ripley High School. She helped raise money last year to send the soccer team to camp.”
Amber has played an important role at the Ohio Valley Manor for many years. The following was written by Pam Sauer and Leah Fredrick co-volunteer directors at OVM.
“Amber is a warm and wonderful presence at OVM. Her grandmother lived here for several years and perhaps that’s why Amber continues to be so involved. Our residents look forward to visits with Amber. She has such a delightfully, engaging way of interacting with them. Even more important, she’s teaching her children the value of cultivating these intergenerational relationships. For years each week, her children would go from room to room, collecting visitor lists and then submitting the news articles, “Manor News,” to the Ripley Bee. Also, on the fifth Sunday of each month, she and members of her family perform at church services held at OVM. Amber’s generosity flows through our community as well. Very simply, if there’s a need, she’s there. She’s someone you can count on, a true friend to Ohio Valley Manor and a magnificent human being. If you are an avid Ripley Bee reader you have spent many hours reading the OVM news written by Amber’s daughters, Niya and Jaden Royal. She has instilled her ethics and fine character values in her children.”
A tribute to Amber Dudley from Dana Adams:
“She is an excellent candidate for the GFWCRWC Citizen of the Year Award for sure. Her love of Ripley and her dedication is overwhelming. Amber took on the boy’s high school soccer team two falls ago. She led many fundraising efforts and really worked hard to help them succeed. It’s funny because she does so many behind the scene things. She makes goody bags and good luck bags for the kids. Some of the kids actually got to go to camp this year to further their soccer skills because of her fundraising efforts. She’s definitely one in a million! She volunteered this past fall as an assistant to the high school boy’s basketball team. She is just so organized. I think we are all stunned she does so much in a day! I ask her all the time when she sleeps!”
Glenda Huff
“Amber has helped extensively in the RULH school system. She has helped as a sub secretary. She has kept stats for the RULH junior and high school girl’s basketball team. She has been the girl’s basketball program locker room mom for several years. When the school district was trying to find a high school boy’s soccer coach she stepped in and coached them. When a teacher stepped in the next year, she continued to assist him and also continued to raise money to help pay for the soccer team to have a soccer clinic to help improve their skills. She has been instrumental in keeping the Pee Wee basketball, cheerleading and SAY soccer programs operating and open to our district’s children. I have seen her kindness and compassion and joy shared with kindergarten age to 90 year olds! She is a true blessing to our community and the epitome of the role model we want our children to see on a daily basis.”
Sharon Haas Fields:
“Amber worked with the Alumni last year. She organized the Spring Fling at the high school. She works really hard for the school kids. That’s about all I know. I think you have a great idea in nominating Amber!”
Amber was instrumental in bringing the Community Mobile Distribution Food Pantry to Ripley. The Food Pantry serves between one and two hundred area families monthly. She is present once a month to help with the set up, organizing the volunteers and aide in the distribution of the commodities.
Jackie Bouvette, Catholic Charities of Cincinnati comments on Amber Dudley:
“Amber has been a significant source of support for Catholic Charities’ mobile pantry, held monthly at Centenary UMC. She consistently is one of the first to arrive and last to leave, helping cover the entire day and the many tasks which come with serving many community residents in just a few short hours. Amber’s attention to detail and quick-learning has proven to be a great asset to myself, as the coordinator, and the pantry overall. Amber is friendly and self-directed. She has been a pleasure to work alongside of and I have had, and heard, many conversations which have highlighted her drive for service in the community. Her heart for Ripley is seen through her support of our pantry and the many other efforts she supports through active service. “
No matter who was contacted to contribute to the nomination of Amber Dudley, high words of praise were at the top of their list! Please consider Amber Dudley as your selection for the 2017 GFWCRWC Citizen of the Year. SHE IS ONE GREAT GAL!
Thank you.”