Fayetteville Today

Even though Fayetteville’s Ruby Murray did 26 years of service in the military, she felt she still had more to give to the community, so she focused on volunteer work. Her dedication to helping others recently earned her the 2021 President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, signed by President Joe Biden.

"Volunteer service is just something that I enjoy doing on a regular basis,” she said in a WRAL report. “It was something I felt was part of my heartbeat, but most important, something that I knew I had to do in order to make my community successful.”

Part of her volunteering efforts is directly tied to her career, as the retired sergeant major — one of the highest enlisted ranks — introduces youngsters to the armed services through the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program at South View High School.

Murray said she has volunteered in some capacity her whole life, she told WRAL.

Her volunteer resume includes 20 years serving as a fitness instructor, offering free classes where she has been able to put her 13 certifications and bachelor’s degree to work.

“I decided that I did not want to charge anybody,” Murray said. “I don’t know why. Charging someone was not something I really wanted to do.”

Murray has also spent time providing services at various homeless shelters near Fayetteville and playing a role in the city’s Operation Turkey around Thanksgiving.

While the presidential award is nice, she said she values her community outreach more because she can see tangible results.