Sherri Evert has poured her heart into Clovis health care from her earliest memories. At the age of 10 she began her philanthropic endeavors by selling home-made lemonade with her best friend at Cole and 3rd streets in Clovis. Together they donated their profit to the building fund for the soon-to-be Clovis Hospital built on Dewitt and Sierra avenues.

Community Medical Foundation is honoring her long and passionate years of service to the hospital by naming her one of Community’s 2010 Ultimate People.

There was no looking back after she finished that project and moved on to later join Community’s Hospital Guild in 1975 where she served as president multiple times. During those years, Evert led the Guild in many support and fundraising endeavors. When the hospital moved to its new site on Herndon, she was integral in giving tours of the hospital while it was being built and participated in designing the interior of the building - picking out tiles, fabrics and carpet of the now-Clovis Community Medical Center.

Evert is an expert event planner and says it is her passion and forte.  She volunteers through the Guild planning their annual Installation Luncheon.  She also spreads her holiday spirit every year by decorating the holiday trees in the hospital lobby, cafeteria and Outpatient Care Center.

Of course, her favorite lunch spot in all of Clovis is the Evert Bistro, named in honor of her family and located in the hospital’s Outpatient Care Center. The bistro serves gourmet sandwiches, wraps and salads for hospital visitors and staff.

Sherri and her husband Paul, also have opened their home to many philanthropic events for Community and other worthy organizations in the Valley.

“The Everts have always been very generous in sharing their home with Community’s Foundation for fundraising and in hosting luncheons for the Guild members,” said Paulla Sebra, Manager of Volunteer Services.

Her giving goes above and beyond. Outside of the hospital, Evert is a member of the Clovis Rodeo Association where she sits on the Rodeo Queen Committee as sponsorship chairperson, helps make tri-tip sandwiches at the rodeo, works in the VIP Pavilion, helps set up for whatever is needed and works at the Annual Clovis Kiwanis Rodeo Golf Tournament – where proceeds benefit Community’s Guild. She also volunteers at Bible Study Fellowship every Wednesday morning and co-teaches the Good News Club at Bud Rank Elementary for twelve weeks each autumn and spring.

“I truly love life, maybe because of my faith, my lovely family and great friends,” Evert said.  “It brings me such inner peace and joy to share time, treasure and talent with others.”

Evert has completed more than 2,000 hours in volunteer work and is always willing to offer her time and energy. Today, she is the current ways and means chairperson for the Guild. Someday, Evert hopes volunteering in the hospital’s gift shop will make it on her list of things to do.

She acknowledges the many blessings that volunteering has brought to her life.

“I have volunteered for so many years I cannot say it impacts my life - it enriches my life,” she said. “It gives me great joy to be available to give back to my community and it is part of the Clovis way of life!”

This story was reported by Kaelin Ng. She can be reached at medwatchtoday@communitymedical.org.