Editor's Note: This series recognizes people who make a difference in their communities. To nominate someone, call Wendy Victora at 315-4478 or email wvictora@nwfdailynews.com.
OKALOOSA ISLAND — Vi Trommater is really bad at taking it easy.
That’s why the 73-year-old Wisconsin transplant spends much of her week volunteering for local community causes.
Trommater, who lives on Okaloosa Island, starts almost every day by walking the beach and picking up litter. Sometimes she returns home with multiple bags of trash.
“Hey, I live here and I want people to come back,” she says.
Later in the day, she and her husband, Jerry, can be found at Sharing and Caring of Fort Walton Beach, helping keep the food pantry organized.
She’s also a member of Pacesetters, a senior group of the Okaloosa County Extension Office on Hollywood Boulevard. They hold rummage sales to benefit local charities and make blank cards for U.S. troops to use and send home.
When not busy volunteering, Trommater crochets hats, lap robes and afghans for the homeless. Above all, she keeps busy.
“I’ve got to be doing something,” she said. “It’s a way to meet people and do things for others. ... I just like helping people.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.