WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT
1985
HEROISM
for a woman whose heroic spirit was tested and
shown as a model to all in Shelby County and beyond:
Arlene Stamm
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 23 years ago, Arlene Stamm wheeled herself to the center of the struggle for the rights of the disabled.
Even though she was in a wheelchair, this wife and mother of two, and a woman active in her synagogue, has used her innate abilities cheerfully and selflessly to enhance the lives of others.
Arlene was an instrumental partner in the formation of most every project undertaken by the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Easter Seals Foundation. According to a co-worker, she is a “walking encyclopedia” of community resources for the handicapped. As a volunteer with West Tennessee Talking Library, Arlene received the Volunteer of the Year Award. She also has served on the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Disabled.
In the word of one of those who nominated her, Arlene Stamm “works tirelessly to assure access for the disabled to the richness of community life.” She is a person who loves life and heroically lives it to the fullest, a woman whose own positive attitude lights all our lives.
Arlene was public relations specialist for the Northeast Alzheimer’s Consortium and consults with businesses on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Arlene Stamm passed away February 13, 2009 at age 70.