In this Senior Voices web extra, Carrie Ellis, who grew up in Mississippi and moved to Dayton in 1965, talks about her stint in broadcasting and serving others in her community. Ellis was interviewed in her home by Carol Jackson, where one wall is filled with plaques and awards she’s won over the years.
Transcript:
Carrie Ellis (CE): I’m not a Daytonian, however I’ve lived here for quite a few years. So, I could claim it as my home. I’m originally from Mississippi. That’s where I was born and raised on a farm. At the time when I lived on the farm, I just thought, “Oh, this is awful! Why can’t we live in the city like the other ones that were in my class as I went into high school?” But then later I realized it was a lot of fun.
And now, as a result of having lived on that farm, I still have a garden every year because I love it so much—watching everything grow and remembering how much we did as I was growing up on the farm.
My mother had 12 children. Not by the same husband. She was married twice. And my father was married twice, and he had 18. But, now, that many children never lived in the house at the same time. Thank God for that.
But those memories are really great. Fun things you know, running and playing. We’d just pick up stick or something and “Play Ball!” with it.
Carol Jackson (CJ): I noticed on your wall, there are a lot of plaques. Would you talk about those plaques and what you received those for?
CE: I decided that I was going to be a broadcaster. So, then I went to broadcasting college, because you can see I love talking, and so I had done that and I love it. They encouraged me. They said, you know you’re going to be good, and I said, “Oh! Great! I got this encouragement!”
I only had an opportunity to do it one time, and I was so nervous and so afraid. It just seemed like my whole body was shaking when I did an on-air program.
But I had, and still have, a son who is developmentally disabled. So, I had a lot of times that I had to say no to some opportunities that were in a different city. So, I didn’t really have a chance to pursue it like I wanted to.
CJ: There are a lot more plaques up there.
CE: Some of the plaques are from classes I instructed. See, young mothers don’t always know what to do with children. I was just out last week, and there was a three-month-old baby, and this lady had nothing on the baby’s head. So, some of these plaques are in reference to whenever I got a group together and we talked about things we could do for our children to keep them healthy.
That was really a great thing because it helped. Even now, they say, “Oh, wow! Thank you for the information you shared, because I didn’t know.”
So, it wasn’t something that was really big, but it was something big to someone. That’s why they gave me a plaque for it.
I think one plaque up there is for my ability when I lived in my home. That community wanted to give a plaque for someone who kept their yard looking so great with flowers and all that. And my yard looked better, according to them, because I did it myself. I did all the grass cutting and all the flower planting. So, I was given a plaque for that.
And I think it was just the mere fact that I’d helped some seniors one time put together some paperwork that they didn’t have the ability to do, and I was given a plaque for that. So, those are the kind of plaques you see on the wall.
CJ: It speaks to me of “You serve where you’re planted” in that you look at the ways that you can be of service to other people. That sounds like a really big part of your life.
CE: I think that’s how we were brought up. I’m thinking of what’s best for the other person before I think of what’s best for me. And I think, “Oh, why didn’t you keep it for yourself. But then I think, “Somebody else probably needed it more.” Because I don’t ever really remember being hungry, homeless, no place to sleep or whatever. I never had my utility services cut off. So, I think I’ve been blessed by helping others. It’s kept me going.
This interview was edited by Community Voices producer Jason Reynolds. Senior Voices is a collaboration between the Dayton Metro Library, Rebuilding Together Dayton, and WYSO. This series is made possible through the generous support of the Del Mar Healthcare Fund of the Dayton Foundation