A well-deserved day off

Deb Orr of DeGraff, left, sits for a manicure Friday with manicurist Laurie Varner at Mane Attractions Styling Co. Huntsville resident and Girls Night Out honoree Bonnie Allen, left, relaxes while independent stylist Lauren Zook applies makeup Friday at The Lock Shop Salon. Kim Eagy of Lewistown waits for her nails to dry during her makeover at Roots Salon and Day Spa in Russells Point. Nancy Evans Donley of Bellefontaine, right, shares a laugh with hairdresser Jackie Smith at Trade Winds Day Spa.

A real day off to sit back and relax is a true rarity for the four local women who were honored Friday as part of the annual “Girls Night Out: A Celebration of Women’s Health” at the Bellefontaine First Church of God, 1000 E. Brown Ave. 

In the midst of being caretakers for their families, hard-working employees and serving their communities, each of the honorees has achieved major personal health and wellness milestones during the past year. 

To celebrate their success and give them a pat on the back for meeting their goals, their family members, co-workers and friends nominated them for a free “Day of Pampering,” which began several weeks ago with a shopping spree at Maurices, 2107 S. Main St., Bellefontaine. 

Then Friday, recipients Nancy Evans Donley of Bellefontaine, Bonnie Allen of Huntsville, Kim Eagy of Lewistown and Deb Orr of DeGraff were treated to a full array of services at area salons, including hair cut and color, manicure, pedicure, massage and waxes and more. They each took the spotlight Friday evening to showcase their new looks the annual event presented by Mary Rutan Hospital and Logan Acres Care Center.

“Usually on my Fridays off, I’m at home doing farm chores — chasing around our sheep, goats, rabbits, cats and dogs,” said Ms. Orr, who also works as a Mary Rutan Hospital cardiac nurse. “So this will be a real treat. I’ve never had a mani/pedi before.”

“It’s absolutely an honor to be chosen,” Mrs. Evans Donley said this week. “I think it will be a wonderful time.”

Three of the women — Ms. Orr, Mrs. Allen and Ms. Eagy — each accomplished significant weight loss through diet and exercise in recent months, leading to improved overall health. Also during the past year, Mrs. Evans Donley persevered through a second bout of breast cancer and impressed her co-workers and clients’ at RTC Industries with her resilience and strength.

In April 2015, the RTC Industries vocational services manager said she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer after having a lump in her breast checked out. Her diagnosis was followed by surgery in May and then chemotherapy at the Zangmeister Center in Columbus beginning in the summer and concluding in December. 

All the while, the Bellefontaine area resident said she tried to keep as normal a schedule as possible at her workplace and only took off a little time here and there when she needed some extra rest. Her nominator, Rose Canter, expressed her admiration of her supervisor’s upbeat way of handling the ordeal. 

“Throughout her illness, chemo, surgeries etc., she has always been there for all her co-workers and associates we serve at RTC Industries. She has persevered through many obstacles and came through with a smile and a faith so huge that she share with everyone,” she wrote in her nomination letter. 

“She has proven through prayer, faith and God by your side, you can conquer many things. I just want her to know how much she is appreciated and that we all are on her side throughout her journey.”

Read complete story in Saturday’s Examiner. 
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