Pay It Forward: Melissa Orr of Eclectic

Melissa Orr is known for her bright smile and servant’s heart. And we’re told she is always willing to help others out no matter how large the task.

“Anybody that knows Melissa knows that she is a little firecracker, but she is very passionate about everything that she does,” said Keri Watts, Orr’s nominator.

Orr says volunteering began with her family. “It all started when we were raising our boys and not having a lot of money to give as far as donations and we had time to volunteer. We wanted to teach them that giving back to the community would pay off,” said Orr.

Melissa organizes volunteers for the Joy to Life Foundation and its many events throughout the year. She also is raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation with the Trailblaze Challenge. It’s a 26.3 mile hike with a goal of raising $10,000.
But she’s not just doing one hike. She is doing it twice– all for kids with critical illnesses.

“There are roughly 300 children that are on this list in Alabama. This money stays in Alabama, so it is very important that we raise money for them as well,” said Orr.