For Deborah Donnigan, this month marks 40 years of service. She has spent the last 20 with the Centra Foundation and has a front row seat to the many ways in which charitable gifts from the community and Caregivers, including hers, impact the health of central Virginia, a place she is proud to call home.
Growing up in Bedford County near the Peaks of Otter, Deborah Donnigan learned that “it’s important to give back to your community and help people.”
She took the lessons to heart.
A career in local healthcare provided a way to do both. This month, she celebrates 40 years, the last 20 of which have been with the Centra Foundation. Her career does not look as she once imagined, but she would not have it any other way.
“I wanted to be a nurse until computers came out,” she said. “So I went into the administrative side of healthcare.”
Her career began in the basement of the English Building at Virginia Baptist Hospital, which is celebrating its centennial this year, where she worked with what is now Lynchburg Family Medicine Residency. She joined the Centra Foundation in 2004.
“I think what intrigued me the most was the thought of helping people in this way and being part of the work of the Foundation,” she said. “A lot of people in my family and the community have health issues. Healthcare is important for everyone.”
Deborah takes joy in using her time and talents to support the work of the Foundation and enjoys giving through the Centra Family Campaign.
As executive assistant, she is often the first person many encounter when they call or visit, and she has a front row seat to the many ways in which charitable gifts from the community and Caregivers impact the health of central Virginia.
“Over the years, we have worked on some projects that really touched my heart,” she shared. “Some of the projects for pediatrics, the capital campaign that supported the East Tower and the cancer center, the Dawson Inn, services for people in need… but you really can’t pick just one. It’s all important.”
Occasionally, a friend or family member mentions retirement. However, she’s not ready to leave the work she loves just yet.
“It has been a fast 40 years,” she said with a laugh. “But I’m excited about the future. I’m excited about the Modernization Plan. And I’ve got a little bit more to give.”
