Locations & Hours
Today marks a very special milestone for CAC volunteer Margaret Lines, and our CAC community is beyond excited to celebrate her. Today, Margaret turns 100 years young!
She chose to mark this milestone by doing something she loves: giving back to her community. Just as they do every Tuesday afternoon, Margaret and her daughter, Nancy Overheim, headed to CAC’s Food Pantry, ready to restock the shelves in the Mini-Market.
While CAC was ready for them with donated food items to stock, staff and volunteers were ready with a surprise 100th birthday celebration complete with music, balloons, cake, and a special book filled with birthday wishes from the CAC community.
“Margaret is the epitome of a CAC volunteer. She is passionate about her community and committed to doing what she can to help those in need. Thank you, Margaret, for allowing us to be part of your passion,” shared Francis K. Horton, III, CAC CEO.
After moving to Atlanta at age 96 to be closer to Nancy, Margaret and Nancy started a new mother-daughter weekly tradition: volunteering at CAC’s North Sandy Springs Food Pantry. For Margaret, the volunteer role is especially meaningful because it has allowed her to continue more than a decade of volunteering at a community food pantry in Arizona, where she lived during retirement.
A former dietitian of 30 years, Margaret also brings a unique perspective to her work at the Food Pantry. As a volunteer, she enjoys seeing the variety of nutritious foods available to CAC clients and helping ensure the Mini-Market is stocked and welcoming.
“As a dietician, it is really important for me to see the types of foods and the variety of foods, the CAC Mini-Market is offering to clients. I want to see that there is balance between breads, sweets, and fresh nutritious food options,” says Margaret.
Knicknamed “Team Bread” for often restocking the bread section, volunteering at CAC on Tuesdays has become part of a special weekly tradition. After their shift ends, the mother-daughter duo heads to Big Play Atlanta, where Margaret laces up her bowling shoes, picks up her personal bowling ball and hits the lanes for a few games. Margaret has been bowling for 82 years, beginning as a freshman at Purdue University. Staying active and connected has been a constant throughout her life.
In addition to giving her time as a food pantry volunteer, Margaret spent more than two decades as a support counselor for women going through breast cancer. A 43-year breast cancer survivor herself, Margaret was able to draw on her own experience to help women navigate life during and after treatment.
When asked what advice she has for people who want to volunteer and support causes they value, Margaret says, “Be flexible, understanding, and able to be a good listener. Accept what you see and hear and don’t judge because you never know what people have experienced in the past.”
As Margaret celebrates her 100th birthday, she shared her secret to living a long and full life, “Stay active. Eat right. Challenge your mind. Socialize and keep a positive attitude.”
Margaret’s Tuesday routine reflects that philosophy. At 100, she is not slowing down, she is staying connected, giving back and continuing to do what she loves alongside the people who matter most.
If you’re inspired to get involved, we invite you to learn more and sign up at ourcac.org/volunteer.