By DAISY WASHINGTON / Community Columnist

The ring of the telephone at 5 a.m. often signals the beginning of any given day for Calera resident Bettye H. Peeples.

Despite the challenges of living with COPD, she is soon dressed and out the door.

The 67-year-old’s tenure as a volunteer is phenomenal. Her 40-year commitment to working through Grant Chapel AME Church’s, Women’s Missionary Society of which she is president is just one of her many ministries.

She is coordinator of the 24-hour food pantry and Closet of Hope (free clothing and home goods), meal deliveries, and hospital and prison ministry.

She helps at the Calera Senior Center, where she assists with activities and serving meals. Other volunteer activities include the American Red Cross, Angel Flight, Dreams Come True, Boy Scouts of America’s Bigg Sam Slam Annual Fishing Tournament, Victory Counseling Services, Inc., Save Ourselves, and Calera Acts of Kindness.

Peeples serves as membership chairman of the Shelby County Branch of the Alabama Democratic Conference, administrator and instructor for Encourage Learning Foundation, Inc., and founding member of the House of Blessings.

Her involvement with the NAACP is extensive. She’s a member of Shelby County NAACP, serves as an executive board member, membership chairman, voter registration committee and Moral Monday participant. She also serves on the committee for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade held in Montevallo.

Her tireless efforts to make a difference in her community has touched hundreds of lives. Since joining the Shelby County RSVP in May 2009, she has recorded more than 13,000 volunteer hours.

For Peeples, it is not about her; rather her life’s mission is all about being a servant to her fellow man. She begins every day with this prayer: “Lord, thank you for being my time clock this morning and waking me once again. Thank you for your love, blessings, grace and mercy. As I walk out this morning let me be able to put Bettye on the back burner so that I can touch someone else’s life in a positive way.”

Peeples has two children and two grandchildren which reside in Florida.

A retired factory worker, Peeples overcame the struggles of being a single parent through her faith in God, determination and resilience.

She loves being near the water and spends time in meditation at the canal near her son’s home. “It gives me a feeling of peace and serenity. I feel close to God when I’m near the water.”