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By DAISY WASHINGTON / Community Columnist

Seventy-one-year-old Cecelia Ebert-Link is a Wilsonville native. Married at the age of 15 at which time she left school, Link later earned her G.E.D.

“I passed with flying colors,” she said.

Link met her first husband, Charles Ebert, while riding the school bus. Charles passed in 2004, just 15 days after the couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. From their union came a son and daughter and eight grandchildren.

Link’s career as a bookkeeper with the Shelby County Commission office began in 1984 and lasted through 2002. “Ceal,” as she is more commonly known, married her second husband, Charles Link, in 2017.

A member of First Baptist Church of Columbiana since 1975, Ceal is active in the Sunday School Department. A member for 10 years, she honored the oldest ladies in the congregation through the Secret Sister Program. The women were remembered at holidays, birthdays, with an annual dinner, and were celebrated through other events throughout the year. Link is a participant in the Sunday School’s weekly jail visitation ministry. The women prepare and provide holiday bags consisting of snacks and personal items. Each Christmas an individual or family were the recipient of a prepared meal and holiday presents for a family that had children.

Ceal says she is a “stay behind the scenes sort of person. I do when asked as the need arises.” She volunteers to assist with meal preparation for repass after a funeral service. “I make the dish and carry it to the church,” she added.

From 1996 to 2019, Ceal was responsible for maintaining the Retired Senior and Volunteer Program’s (RSVP) office’s expenditure records. Previous RSVP Coordinator Barbara Nash was aware of Ceal’s bookkeeping and accounting experience and approached her for her help at the RSVP office. The program provides grants to qualified agencies and organizations for the dual purpose of engaging persons 55 and older in volunteer service to meet critical community needs and to provide a high-quality experience that will enrich the lives of volunteers and offer a variety of worthwhile and stimulating volunteer opportunities throughout the community.

RSVP is eternally grateful to Cecelia for 23 years of service as the office bookkeeper for our program. We applaud her selfless devotion and spirit of excellence during her tenure as a volunteer.