Debbie Parry Empowers Others As An OBI Board Member

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When Carrollton Manor resident Debbie Parry started taking her daughter to Opportunity Builders Inc. (OBI), she had no idea what she was getting into. In the course of the three years since her first visit, Parry went from patron to integral volunteer.

Starting as a member of OBI’s health and safety committee, Parry quickly rose through the ranks. Still a member of that committee, Parry now also serves on OBI’s board of directors, as well as the events committee.

Originally from Baltimore County, Parry has lived in Severna Park for around 30 years and has been involved with a variety of nonprofits the entire time. She has a husband, Daniel, and three children, all of whom graduated from Severna Park High School.

Currently, Parry serves on the board of two different organizations. She is the secretary of the board at OBI and the vice president of the board for Maryland Therapeutic Riding (MTR). Both of these nonprofits help people like Parry’s 24-year-old daughter, a graduate of the Functional Living Skills program at Severna Park High School.

Parry’s daughter has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Programs like OBI and MTR help her stay active and feel more in control of her life. She takes advantage of classes like dancing, cooking and scrapbooking. Most of all, those programs bring her joy, something Parry loves being a part of.

“Whenever I walk in to pick up my daughter, [the clients] want to run up to high-five you or fist-bump you,” Parry said. “They are always excited to do new things and see new people.”

New projects and activities abound at OBI, where they started raising chickens just this year. The chickens are now laying eggs, something the clients have enjoyed thoroughly.

Parry is also looking into reviving the walking program, and she is seeking funds for pedometers. She specifically mentioned trying to use the Pebble program, which monitors walking distance via various checkpoints.

With so many projects in the works, Parry has been instrumental in helping with OBI’s various fundraisers. The yearly Mardi Gras event was held February 7 at the OBI facility in Millersville. Parry was always busy helping plan the auction and gather big-ticket items such as vacation getaways and sports memorabilia.

Next up on the agenda is preparing for OBI’s yearly golf fundraiser, held sometime in the spring or summer. Whatever the event, Parry just wants to pitch in. “Whenever they ask to help,” she said, “I want to be there.”

Her positive attitude and constant desire to help is not lost on Megan Orzechowski, director of development at OBI. “From the moment Debbie Parry became a volunteer with OBI, she saw places where her time and talent could be best used, and invested herself fully in those areas,” Orzechowski noted. “No task is too small for Debbie, and she is always willing to help out in any way she can.”

Those interested in volunteering or supporting the program should go to www.obiworks.com or find and like “Opportunity Builders Inc.” on Facebook.

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