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Women Of Impact: Kim Noonan - Worker Bee
Behind the scenes volunteering gets the job done.
October 23, 2007
Kim Noonan describes herself as a "worker bee" who would rather be behind the scenes that out
front garnering publicity for herself.
"Really, I'm just as happy being the room mother for my kid's class than hosting a
fund-raiser at my house, which I seem to do at least once a month. I've been involved in the High
Museum's wine auction and Hands On Atlanta. And, I'm always willing to help cook for an event or
send food down at the women's shelter because I can do that on my time, my schedule. I'll just
double the batch of what I'm making for supper."
For the past fi ve years Noonan has been a devoted supporter of Camp Twin Lake where children
with a variety of issues – everything from mental illness to disease – can go and enjoy the fresh
air.
"It's a wonderful place. We just installed the Noonan Climbing Wall and zip line at the camp.
The zip line is a rope bridge that crosses the lake. I've done it."
Every day when she's up at Camp Sunshine – her whole family goes and volunteers – she
"listens to the stories about kids who can't ride a bike, but they can ride in a sidecar and have
lots of fun or how they've learned to give themselves shots at 6 years old. You want to cry, but
it's such a great, wonderful, happy place."
Her favorite story is about a girl in a wheelchair who couldn't do the rope course. "She said
to me, ‘I might not walk, but I can fl y.' I love to hear that."
Noonan, a Georgia Tech graduate, helped others as far back as her childhood. "When I was in
high school, I volunteered at an organization that helped mentally challenged people. I'd go tutor,
talk with them, cook."
That attitude has been passed down to her three children, who have done a variety of tasks at
Camp Sunshine as well as for other charities.
"We, as a family, have planted trees at Camp Sunshine, and we've all worked the food lines at
the women's and homeless shelters. They knew how to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and
stuff food bags at the shelter from the time they were little. "
She is proud that her children are getting involved in civic work independently through the
Lovett School. "And I'm very proud of them."
Volunteering is more than writing a check, she says. "I've been so fortunate in my life," she
says. "Every day I want to give back, to do something to help others."
