Volunteer Of The Month

The Cultural Center Of Charlotte County , Inc.

Eleanor Gibbens is a native of Mt. Savage, Maryland. There, she met her husband, Jess, and traveled the world for 30 years, as Jess was in the U.S. Army.  During this time, she raised 5 children, and presently has 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

They moved to St. Petersburg in the mid 60s when he retired, where Eleanor was very active as a volunteer with the Girl and Boy Scouts.  In 1988, they moved to Port Charlotte.

Eleanor was introduced to the Cultural Center when a friend recommended lunch at the Café.  After lunch, she discovered the Gift Shop and the beautiful hand made items for sale, which reminded her of her many sewing projects throughout the years.

In 1996, her husband passed away, and Eleanor felt it would be rewarding to get involved with the Happy Helpers, the group that makes the items for the Gift Shop.  Today, with over 7,000 volunteer hours, she has never regretted this decision.  She states, “I’m a people person. The friendship shown to me, and the wonderful people I have met over the years is what drives me to keep coming back.  It gives me the opportunity to enjoy my hobbies and help the community at the same time through sales in the Gift Shop.  Over the years, I have learned a lot from others and in turn shared my skills with others.”