Stombaugh: We need to give back

The grand marshal for this year’s Vandalia Lions Club Halloween Parade is a woman whose efforts to improve Vandalia are unparalleled.
Jean Stombaugh’s memberships and leadership positions span several decades, and involve an incredible number of organizations. In each, she’s been a driving force to leave things in better condition than she found them.
And all the while, she’s been an active part of the management team at her family’s business – Stombaugh Heating and Air-Conditioning. She and her husband, the late George Stombaugh, have been involved in the business since they were married in 1951. She continues to serve as co-owner with her son, Steve, and works alongside her grandson, Zac, the fifth generation to be involved in the business.
The two organizations that most benefited from her involvement were the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce (for which she served in virtually every leadership position available – including president) and Vandalia Main Street (where she was the driving force behind the downtown revitalization efforts and the creation of Lincoln Park). To this day, she makes it part of her daily routine to keep the park clean and orderly.
She's also been involved in a host of other organizations.
Why has she chosen to be so involved? To her, it’s nothing heroic; it’s just the right thing to do.
“I just think we need to give back to the community,” Stombaugh said. “I just love Vandalia…and I think it’s important that we do things for our town.”
We applaud her for the example she’s set, and for her many accomplishments during her long and fruitful career.
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