2025 Fraternalist of the Year Is Committed to Supporting Her Community

Sherry Waldrop, WoodmenLife’s 2025 Fraternalist of the Year, loves to help out in the community she’s lived in her entire life.

It started in the 1970s, when her mother, Omie Lee Hutchinson, began her 20-year career as a Sales Representative with WoodmenLife. Her mother made sure Waldrop and the rest of her family were covered and involved in Chapter 172 in Sylvester, GA.

“To help build that chapter up, my mother moved all of our memberships over there,” Waldrop said. “It is a small chapter in Sylvester, about 20 miles from my house, but it is the best. The members are lifelong, and anything I ask them to do, they’re more than willing to do it.”

Now, nearly 50 years later, Waldrop remains an active member of Chapter 172, serving as President and helping with various projects and initiatives for her community.

Community Involvement

Through her chapter, Waldrop has coordinated many efforts in her community, including:

• Volunteering at Valentine’s Day parties at a local assisted living facility
• Baking cookies for First Responders
• Donating a flag, flagpole, bench, and landscaping for Sylvester’s sports complex
• Volunteering at a Sylvester food bank
• Shopping for children in foster care during the holiday season

As a former educator, Waldrop was proud to help introduce two award opportunities for students:

• The RAMS (Respectful, Accountable, Motivated, and Safe) award at Worth Middle School
• A $750 scholarship for Worth High School graduating seniors, of which two were given out in 2025

Waldrop said what makes these awards so special is that they are given to students who may not have the best grades, but are dedicated and driven while also being kind to others.

“These kids are not necessarily A+ students,” she explained. “The average, hard-working student does not often get a lot of recognition. That’s what we were looking for: to help children get the recognition they deserve.”

With her church, Waldrop also volunteers with a local elementary school to provide “Backpack Blessings” to students, filled with meals for students who may be food insecure at the end of the school week.

A Team Effort

Waldrop said earning the Fraternalist of the Year award is “an honor.”

“There are so many people who get out and give in their community, give in their chapters, and work with WoodmenLife,” she said.

“The members in the Sylvester chapter, the honor goes to them,” Waldrop continued. “No matter what I throw at them, they are more than willing to go and to help in their community. It is great to accept this honor, take it back to our community, and share it with them. It is because of their work that I’m receiving this award.”

Waldrop lives in Tifton with her husband of 52 years, William. They have three adult children and nine grandchildren.

Written by: Cheyenne Alexis, Communications Strategist

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