In 2004 she began volunteering four or more days a week at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force where you can typically find her helping visitors in the Vietnam and Korea, Early Years of World War II, Cold War sections, the Presidential hanger and Space gallery.
Ms. B also volunteers in downtown Dayton at the Schuster Center and Victoria Theatre as an usher, ticket scanner and greeter. Additionally, she regularly volunteers at the Wright Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Fairborn and at voting stations during elections.
Ms. B is motivated to action because, as she states, “if it wasn’t for the volunteers, many of these places would not function.” Ms. B says what inspires her to volunteer is it keeps her busy, gives her a chance to meet people and it makes her feel good to give back to the community; it gave her a purpose after retirement.
When she is not volunteering, Ms. B is an institution at the Wright-Patterson AFB fitness centers, working out a remarkable six days a week. She is an avid marathon runner, having run 65 full marathons, her first in 1995 in Columbus, and has run about 120 half marathons. Ms. B states the number is a guess as she has run so many she’s lost count.
Ms. B has run in every Air Force Marathon, including the inaugural in 1997. Her next run will be a half marathon at the 2019 Air Force Marathon on Sept. 21.
Rick Stanton, recreation assistant and fitness trainer at Dodge Fitness Center, describes Ms. B as a “volunteer extraordinaire” who is known throughout all the fitness centers on Wright-Patterson AFB as the “gym mom.”
“Fitness is her passion; she religiously works out six days a week engaging in strength and cardiovascular exercise,” he said.
Ms. B says getting started is the hardest part of becoming physically fit. Her remedy for not overeating is portion control and not eating late at night. Her motto is “Don’t stop, keep moving and you shall reach your goal.”
The 88 FSS’s success is due, in large part, to the men and women of the Wright-Patterson AFB community, who, like Downing, strive to improve themselves through the utilization of FSS activities and to improve the community through volunteering.
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