After starting her work life with Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC, Cathy had a long career in business as the office manager of a general dentist practice and then finished her professional career managing a busy orthodontic practice.
You could say that she retired early, unless you know her because that was just the start of Act II. Cathy Dusenberry embodies her favorite quote “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” as evidenced by her passion for our community as a volunteer in many organizations. She has been an incredibly active and devoted member of First Presbyterian Church of Burlington through her service as an Elder. Countless brides have been handled with care and Cathy’s attention to detail as the Wedding Coordinator. She has mentored many young women while serving as a Junior and Senior High Youth Advisor and Confirmation Partner. Cathy’s real heart is graphically portrayed in her work on the national and international mission trips with nine trips to Moyobama, Peru where she worked enthusiastically to build medical clinics, churches, and a water system for a remote jungle village.
She served 2 terms on our Women’s Resource Center Board of Directors, assuming the reins of being board president unexpectedly in the middle of a term and continuing on serving in that capacity for an additional 2 years. Though her time as board president she was a team builder, leading by example, never asking anyone to do anything she was not willing to do herself. She even continued to chair the Leading the Way and Herb Festival committees as Board Chair. She was the first to arrive and many times the last to leave an event making sure everything was perfect! she did everything and anything that needed to be done, often pulling in resources or connecting us with people she knows who might not have previously worked with us.
Her skills as a fundraiser has benefitted not only the Women’s Resource Center but Habitat for Humanity, Alamance Arts and the American Cancer Society. Cathy and her husband Reid not only do the heavy lifting or mopping floors, or washing dishes, or building houses they are generous donors to the local nonprofit community.
Cathy’s quiet and unassuming demeanor is perhaps her hidden strength, she leads by example and observes and learns from others to adapt and make whatever project she is involved with as successful as it can be. Cathy’s heart for service has meant that she throws herself into every project with passion and grace.
As a current Founders’ Award Nominee for the Women’s Resource Center, she was asked the question: “What have you done recently that required you to be courageous?” Cathy’s answer:
“We were able to travel to Ecuador in January of this year and while there, visited several of their national parks. One, Cajas National Park, is in an alpine region with many high peaks. I overcame my basic fear of heights to hike to over 14,000 fee in altitude to an overlook, much to the surprise of our guide Kike and my husband! The 360 degree view was well worth the climb and low oxygen at that height!”
Cathy is Leading the Way by her example that your Act II isn’t about sitting down, it is about serving others.
