Beauty of Spirit: How One AΣT Brings Solace to Others
“I believe in cultivating beauty of spirit and graciousness of living in all my contacts with others.”
– from the Alpha Sigma Tau Creed
You could say that Shalyn M. Ormsby, Gamma Xi, has spent her career focused on bringing comfort to others. She started out in the hospitality industry, working in events management for, among others, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company before joining the team at Naples Illustrated, a magazine focused on getting the residents of Naples, Florida, to make the most of their hometown. Today, she serves as the Executive Director of the Garden of Hope and Courage, which is part of NCH Baker Hospital in downtown Naples.
“It’s what we call a healing garden,” Shalyn explains. “It offers patients, caregivers, and staff of the hospital a place to take a deep breath and meditate. The Garden offers a change of view from their hospital rooms, away from the same white walls and TV screens. They can enjoy nature. We have a sculpture garden and children’s garden, and a pathway that is maintained for easy wheelchair use. All in the heart of downtown Naples.”
The 2.5-acre Garden, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, was founded in honor of the late Jan Emfield by her husband Bob. Jan suffered from breast cancer, and took every moment she could to enjoy the solace of nature.
Shalyn has just come off running the Garden’s signature fundraiser, the Naples Music Festival. This year saw music legends like Boston, Journey, Steppenwolf, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Santana play for the cause – a massive undertaking for Shalyn. “I’m the only staff person,” she says. “I do everything from ordering paper to accounting to managing vendors.”
So for Shalyn, being successful at the Garden means tapping into her Alpha Sigma Tau experience. “With the Sorority, I learned how to interact with other people,” she says. “It prepared me for the real world. From planning events to mentoring ‘Littles,’ everything we did running the chapter has transferred into my profession. I can’t be successful if I can’t interact with everyone from maintenance folks to volunteers to a music event production company.”
So what would Shalyn’s advice be for others looking to hone the skills they picked up as Alpha Sigma Taus? “The same thing I tell my children,” she says. “It takes practice. Don’t give up, keep at it and you’ll get it. No matter what ‘it’ is.”
Portrait photo credit: Vanessa Rogers Photography