Judy’s Party: Celebration honors Schmidt by raising money for nonprofits

By Dixon Bledsoe

How do you honor a benevolent and genuinely nice woman? You throw her a party and invite everyone she helped, teased, loved, supervised, worked for or marched with to attend.

A lifelong Silvertonian, Judy Schmidt embraced and dedicated herself to her community. An advocate for many nonprofit organizations and the director of volunteer and community services for Silverton Health, Judy passed away on Oct. 1, 2014.

Judy’s Party is being held in her honor, as a way to remind people they, too, can make a difference in their community.

Organizers invite everyone to join in the occasion, Saturday, Oct. 24, 7 – 11 p.m. at the Mount Angel Festhalle. Tickets are $35.

Besides being a way to celebrate Judy’s service to her community, the party is a fundraiser for the Silverton Chamber of Commerce and other nonprofit organizations. It will be an evening of dancing, music, food and friendship. There also will be oral and silent auctions.

Darby Hector was one of Judy’s closest friends. She is excited for the party meant to celebrate, not memorialize, Judy and her legacy.

“Judy was one of the most genuine people I have ever known,” Hector said. “She saw goodness in everyone and cared deeply for her family, friends and community. Kindness and happiness was her way of life.”

Judy’s husband Bill Schmidt said next to her family, “people having a good time in an effort to support those not so fortunate was what Judy lived for.”

Silverton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stacy Palmer recalls working with Schmidt on many events and hopes Judy’s Party reflects her friend’s eagerness to get involved and make a difference.

“Judy was a friend, a mentor and a true role model for anyone that serves their community,” Palmer said. “She served in a truly selfless manner and made extraordinary impacts in every group she touched.”

Hopefully, Palmer added, the party will also inspire community members to volunteer and serve in Judy’s honor.

“What better way to carry on Judy’s history of service than to make sure the nonprofit and community groups she worked with have an infusion of funding for their efforts,” Palmer said. “That would have made her very happy.”

Organizers said this event is about having fun helping others as Judy did most of her life. It is also about celebrating.

“Judy made an immeasurable impact on our entire community and her work continues to be an inspiration to anyone who has volunteered or has been touched by the organizations that she was part of,” Palmer said. “This is one way we feel we can help continue her work.”