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Shirley Poss

OSW Board Member-at-Large

I moved to Roanoke in 2021, to be near to my sister and her family. They have lived in Hunting Hills for 25 years and continually told me to move to Roanoke, as it was so great and friendly. When my husband Rick suffered a serious foot injury, we retired from Local 26 electrical construction with the plan of moving to Roanoke. I was an Electrical Project Manager for very large construction projects around DC, northern VA, and numerous locations in the US. Rick was a licensed electrician. It took us a year to find our beautiful home in Old Southwest on Elm Avenue. As soon as I walked thru the door of this home, I was in love with it AND the OSW neighborhood. I began attending OSW Inc. community meetings at the Alexander-Gish House, helping with the green space committee, and participating in neighborhood trash pickup. It didn’t take long to make friends and feel part of a very special neighborhood. I lived in northern Virginia for 43 years. I didn’t know my neighbors, what they looked like, what kind of cars they drove, etc. When I wasn’t working, I spent evening hours at the gym. What a pleasant change it is to feel like a valued part of our community! BTW—I still go to the gym every day. OSW is a very special neighborhood. I love leading the Alexander-Gish House Committee and helping to keep our neighborhood a fantastic place to live and enjoy. There is so much to do here. I would love to have more neighbors get involved and enjoy the many opportunities available…whether you join and assist on existing committees or help by attending our OSW monthly community meetings to get to know neighbors, stay informed about neighborhood activities and issues, and provide input about what’s good or what needs attention. I am only able to keep the Gish House Committee going because of the help and ideas of others. I like being able to use my construction project manager knowledge to help OSW keep the historic Gish House and its grounds updated and safe for all. This involves working with outside contractors such as fire alarm, security, HVAC (heating, venting, air conditioning), building construction updates, etc. I feel it’s very important to keep our neighborhood updated with information on what’s going on—both about the Gish House (our community center) and about the many other neighborhood-improvement projects and social activities that OSW Inc. brings to our neighborhood. I really want to encourage others from OSW to join with us and help grow neighborhood support—help each other out!

I love walking around OSW and seeing what’s looks great and taking note of what could use some assistance. I love gardening, and I’m very proud of my backyard vegetable garden. Naturally, I love to share my crop with my neighbors. My husband and I have a passion for holiday decorating. This year we put up themed Christmas trees throughout the entire house and decorations both indoor and outdoor. We got permission from the ARB (Architectural Review Board) to build a large shed in our backyard, and it’s just about complete. Next project is an outdoor kitchen!

Finally, I really enjoy being a member of the OSW Board of Directors. Recently, I have had the opportunity to participate in several volunteer projects that make our neighborhood safer and improved, such as painting Ferdinand Street to improve pedestrian safety, supporting our annual Parlor Tour fundraiser, assisting with continued development and maintenance at the Day Avenue Pocket Park, and lots of walking with neighborhood friends. It makes me feel so good to be involved in a neighborhood that wants to help others and be alive with possibilities!