November 21 Adopted by Leigh Ann Wilson


November 21 has been adopted by Bell board member Leigh Ann Wilson! Leigh Ann adopted this day in honor of her late mother, who died of colon cancer at the age of 47 during Leigh Ann’s senior year of college. She heard that other board members adopted days to honor their mothers and liked the idea enough that she decided to designate a day in memory of her own. 

As a loyal supporter of Bell, Leigh Ann emphasizes the importance of supporting the local community. “I have been astounded at how many people in our community experience homelessness,” she says. “The Bell Family Shelter is an important resource to get them back on their feet.” Above all, she urges others to follow her lead in any way they can. “If adopting a day is out of range, many small gifts add up to have an impact.”

Leigh Ann served as president of Bell’s board of directors for two years before passing the torch to Zak Wolpert earlier this year. She joined the board in 2019 after meeting Executive Director Tony Schweitzer at a Leadership York board recruitment event. She was looking to join a board that was partnered with United Way where she could use her marketing skills and meet new people, and Bell’s ticked all the right boxes. Throughout her tenure as president, she was most proud of achieving 100% board giving between Give Local York and Bell’s Big Bed Race.

Aside from serving on Bell’s board, Leigh Ann is the Director of Marketing Strategy at Stambaugh Ness. She also sits on the boards of United Way of York County and UPMC Pinnacle Foundation and helps out with Boy Scout Troop 54 as a merit badge counselor. In her spare time, she loves traveling and is currently on a quest to visit 63 national parks and all 50 states. So far, she’s been to 52 national parks and 49 states; she’s on track to finish her goal in 2025.

Adopt-a-Day gifts cover the cost of operating Bell Family Shelter for a full day. If you’d like to join people like Leigh Ann in making sure the Shelter is open to welcome York County families in times of emergency, consider your own gift of support. You can make a one-time gift or set up a recurring monthly donation. Use our donation page to get started right now.