By Mary O’KEEFE

The Crescenta Valley and Glendale areas are well known for their volunteer spirit. As one former elementary school principal said, “It’s a place where you ask for one volunteer and you get 10.” The boots-on-the-ground volunteer workforce is exemplified in Camille Levee. After years working as a volunteer and as a leader in many non-profit organizations, Levee is heading east.

“I am moving to St. Cloud, Florida to be closer to my daughter,” she said. “My daughter lives three miles from where I will be living instead of 2500 miles [at present].”

Levee first moved to California in 2001, living in Monrovia. In 2006 she joined Glendale Healthy Kids, a program that provided primary care to children in need and the uninsured. The program was formed in 1993 by Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Verdugo Hills Hospital, Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale Unified School District and the City of Glendale.

Before deciding to work with GHK, she had interviewed with several other organizations.

“I actually interviewed in several places but declined the positions because they were in northern or central California, and [her husband] Earl’s cancer had returned,” Levee said.

She needed a support system that would help her and Earl that was closer to her friends and places she was familiar with. Those were located in Southern California.

“A friend told me about Glendale Healthy Kids, and Rosemary Montana was conducting the search [for someone to hire],” she said. “Turned out we knew the same folks.”

She took a leadership role with GHK focusing on all aspects of youth health from medical to dental. She worked with medical professionals to donate their time and skills. She was also a strong force when it came to fundraising for GHK. She eventually moved to Glendale in 2009.

“GHK was a great idea, and very replicable. During my time we helped many homeless kids [and those who lived in their cars]. Times changed and non-profits have to address current needs. When I left the agency I was working on healthy lifestyle habits as preventive to illness, along with treating immediate needs,” Levee said.

She added that if the medical community treated at least one person “pro bono” the hospitals might not have the high costs that emergency room visits incur.

“Our community would be healthier,” she said.

After Earl passed away, Levee moved to Payson, Arizona to run a domestic violence shelter.

“I returned to [Glendale] in 2015 because a dear older friend with no family became ill,” Levee said.

Once again she began working and volunteering with several local organizations, including Glendale Adventist, CV Chamber of Commerce, the committee for the Glendale Prayer Breakfast and Wellness Works. She also got up early every Thursday morning to meet volunteers at the Fire House youth center at 6 a.m. to serve a pancake breakfast to Rosemont Middle School students. She also donated countless boxes of soup and paper supplies to help the Fire House serve middle schoolers.

“My philosophy is service is the rent you pay for space you occupy,” she said. “A community is only as strong as its volunteers and will only get better with help. Not everyone has the time, so those of us who do – do. I enjoy the [Rosemont Middle School] teens because I have a chance to mentor and act as a role model.”

She added that she is a senior and understands personally the importance of senior programs.

“I have truly enjoyed the senior services committee,” she said. “We have made a great start with the Emergency Preparedness Fair.” Hopefully the Fair will take place in September.

She has also been supportive of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Her husband was a WWII veteran.

Anyone who knows or has spoken to Levee for any length of time is certain she will not just be sitting back and just letting time slide after she settles in St. Cloud.

“[St. Cloud] is a town of about 50,000 and started as a retirement [community] for Civil War veterans,” she said. “They have a Rotary Club, VFW and Chamber of Commerce, the three most important components … then we will see from there.”

  Mary Okeefe