WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
Ageless Remarkable
Super St. Louisans
VOLUNTEERS RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY
B y T r i s h M u y c o - To b i n
A
s we begin to close out 2017 and reflect on the events
that once again propelled St. Louis into the national
headlines as a city divided, we mustn’t forget about
those who tirelessly and selflessly give of themselves in
order to better the lives of people in the community.
Last month, St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System honored
Judy Bentley
92
GAZELLE STL
22 of the St. Louis region’s most accomplished individuals at the 15th
annual Ageless Remarkable St. Louisans gala. The event celebrated the
outstanding contributions of St. Louisans of a certain age who have a
slightly different perspective on what it means to grow older. Most of
these individuals may be unfamiliar to our Gazelle STL readers, but they
truly epitomize the characteristics that inspire us all.
Among those receiving recognition: 79-year-old Judy Bentley, the
founder, president and CEO of the largest free health clinic in St. Louis.
A nurse practitioner, Bentley established CHIPS, the Community
Health-in-Partnership Services, to ensure that underserved St.
Louisans had access to healthcare and other social services. What
began as a free clinic in the basement of St. Teresa of Avila Church in
May 1990 has helped more than 25,000 residents. The CHIPS Health
and Wellness Center, now located in the city’s north side, is staffed by
volunteer physicians, nurses, and other professional and lay community
members. For her part, Bentley has been honored with numerous
awards, including the Top Ladies of Distinction's Lifetime Achievement
Award, the Distinguished Service and Healthcare Award from the
LINKS St. Louis Chapter, and the Urban League of Metropolitan St.
Louis Salute to Women in Leadership Award. She also volunteers at St.
Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University Medical School.
Seventy-nine-year-old honoree Barbara Gehringer and her four-
legged companion, Maggie, are frequent visitors to a number of
local senior communities. Gehringer retired from practicing and
teaching nursing in 1999, but her compassion, combined with her
energy, have been a gift to older adults in need of friendship and some
canine companionship. She has also helped coordinate the Animal
Protection Agency’s Prison Arts Program, through which offenders
practicing restorative justice paint dog and cat portraits to raise funds
for the animal shelter. Her involvement extends to the Center for
Women in Transition, which helps women transition successfully
from the criminal justice system back into society. Even with her busy
volunteer schedule, Gehringer found time to take up piano lessons after
retirement. She also practices yoga, and she has qualified for and ran in
the Boston Marathon, biked from California to Washington, D.C., and
climbed to the top of Machu Picchu.