Pam Ridley committed to service for women and girls
Pam Ridley
Person of the Week
By Dorothy Inman-Johnson
Special to the Outlook
Born in Trinidad (and Tobago), Pam graduated from the University of West Indies in Jamaica, with a degree in Applied Chemistry. She has had a long career in education, teaching Chemistry, Science, and Math in Jamaica, at Tri-County Technical College in Clemson where she relocated with her husband, and at George Mason University.
Her family moved to Tallahassee in 1987, where she and her husband started their family business, Sentry Self Service Storage. She also taught Chemistry at Tallahassee Community College until taking over daily operations for the business in 1997.
Pam is being featured as Person of the Week, however, because of her total dedication to making life better for women and girls in our community. Her schedule of volunteer service would leave most of us breathless; but Pam is like the Energizer Bunny, she just keeps going and going. She is not a half in or in-name-only volunteer. She is fully committed to any project she champions. The following are just a few of her projects that directly benefit women and girls in the community.
Pam worked hard to ensure enrollees at the PACE Center for Girls were matched with successful women mentors who also fulfilled the girls’ Christmas wish lists. She supports and volunteers with the Oasis Center for Women and Girls; and coordinated donations from ZONTA, International professional women’s organization to the Refuge House and Thrift Store that benefits women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Her family’s business, Sentry Storage, has been a faithful sponsor and collection site for the “Dress for Success” clothing donations for low-income women seeking employment. Pam and Sentry Storage are also supporters and sponsors for the annual Tea and Christmas fundraisers for Chelsea House.
In addition, she serves on the board or volunteers for many local non-profit organizations. Among them are Capital Area Community Action Agency, Inc., Legal Services of North Florida, American Heart Association (Heart Ball), American Cancer Society, MLK Foundation, and Second Harvest of the Big Bend. She has held numerous high level positions with her business and professional organizations; and received many well-deserved recognitions for her service. They include Parks and Crump Outstanding Community Partner, Finalist for the Tallahassee Democrat’s Volunteer of the Year, Sunset Rotary “Service Above Self” Award, and honored among the Tallahassee Democrat’s “25 Women You Need to Know”.
Tallahassee is truly blessed to have people like Pam Ridley, working hard every day to improve the quality of life for Tallahassee residents.
