CityView Magazine

14 November 2022 the same thing from everybody." Adams and Bell both attend Smith Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Fayetteville. Bell is active in Sunday school, youth programs and the praise team. Adams figures he has known her for 20 to 30 years. "She is no-nonsense," he says. "Vera is about fairness, regardless. It's about doing the right thing and making sure everybody's included and everybody feels valued. I would tell you, I don't go around nominating a lot of people. is one was easy for me. at's the first name that came to my mind." United Way of Cumberland County was the first community organization that Bell became involved in. She remains on its board and served as president a year ago. She is currently president of the board of Connections of Cumberland County, which supports single women and women with children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. She also serves on the boards of Better Health of Cumberland County and Cumberland Community Foundation as well as King Hospitality, which helps finance construction of homes for lower-income people. "She's very committed to the mission," says Christiana Adeyemi, executive director of Better Health of Cumberland County. "Her work ethic is excellent. She really takes that role seriously as a board member." Currently, Bell is treasurer of the Better Health board. "I like helping, and I like seeing progress," Bell says from her home in the Springdale neighborhood. "I like to know that it's going to be better even though I may not be here to see it. But something that I've done or said is going to make it better, make our life in Cumberland County better. Or make someone's life in Cumberland County better." Bell says all people should have a commitment to improving their community. "We need to leave this world better than it was while we were here," Bell says. "I don't care if no one knows. I don't care if they know or not. It just needs to be done, so I do it. I don't mind doing it. And you don't have to tell anyone that I did it. I don't care." Bell, who was born and raised in the Lenoir County town of La Grange, was the eldest of five children in her family. "La Grange was good to me," she says. She graduated from Goldsboro High School before earning a degree in sociology from Fayetteville State University in 1970. Aer retiring from her law enforcement career, she spent time heading the city's Environmental Services Department. e city manager assigned her to work with a nonprofit agency. "at taste just stuck with me," she says of her involvement. Steadfast community service was among life's lessons that her parents handed down. "I like helping, and I like seeing progress," Bell says. "I like to know that it's going to be better even though I may not be here to see it. But something that I've done or said is going to make it better, make our life in Cumberland County better." In addition to her other commitments, Vera Bell serves on the board of the United Way of Cumberland County.

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