By Becca Newell
Preston native Teri Overington never hesitated to help when it came to volunteering.
“I grew up watching my parents always giving back to the community, so it’s been ingrained in me my whole life,” she says.
For the last decade or so, Overington has dedicated a large part of her free time to one group in particular—The Talbot County Young Professionals. Based in Easton, the group’s mission is to ing like-minded individuals together to socialize and network through its monthly luncheons and other functions. The group also hosts a variety of community-based volunteer efforts, including toy drives and pumpkin carvings.
Though her involvement began one afternoon in 2006, when she attended a luncheon, Overington soon saw herself sitting on the Toys for Tots and Pumpkin Carving committees, thanks to the encouragement from her friend (and then YP Chairperson) Suzanne Silverstein. She later joined the board, too.
“I guess showing initiative in those areas is what attracted them to approach me as a board member,” she says, with a modest laugh. “But my liking of those types of projects was the reason I decided to get more involved.”
In 2012, Overington assumed the position of Chairperson, a role she held until her term ended last December. As overseer of the group, she ran meetings, organized luncheons, populated committees, connected with businesses and nonprofit organizations—anything and everything to ensure the group’s growth and success.
Under her leadership, the group established new partnerships with local nonprofits, including EES Carepacks, which supplies the most vulnerable Easton Elementary students with nutritious food to take home over the weekends, and Talbot Interfaith Shelter, an interfaith-based service organization that provides temporary shelter to those lacking adequate housing.
Like most dedicated volunteers, Overington is somewhat reluctant to accept any credit for the Young Professionals’ commitment to its community.
“I don’t do it all. I have a lot of volunteers that help,” she quips.
But the group hasn’t been so quiet in its appreciation of her efforts, nominating Overington as the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professional of the Year—an honor she received in 2014.
In addition to relinquishing her duties as Chairperson, Overington also stepped down from the board to, as she says, make room for some new energy and ideas. Although she still plans to remain involved with the group on a regular basis—Toys for Tots will always hold a special spot in her heart, she says—Overington is looking forward to discovering other nonprofits in need of a helping hand.
You’ll also still find her attending those monthly luncheons. And she encourages any young professionals in the area to follow suit.
“You’re going to eat lunch anyway, so why not come out and meet some really great people and start building connections,” she says. “That’s all it takes.”
For more information on the Talbot County Young Professionals, visit www.facebook.com/TalbotCountyYoungProfessionals.
