Shirley Murphy, West Cobb Citizen of the Year

Shirley Murphy, Helping Hands

Shirley Murphy, Helping Hands

Shirley W. Murphy of Shirley’s Helping Hands, LLC has been named West Cobb Citizen of the Year. Murphy’s contributions to West Cobb can be seen through various charities.

She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for Loving Arms Cancer Outreach, and volunteers with Family Promise of Cobb where she is an overnight host for families, assists with meals, socialization and homework.

Murphy is also a coordinator with the Keep Cobb Beautiful Adopt-A-Mile Program, and President of Daughters of Zion, while managing the daily operations of her own home healthcare business, Shirley’s Helping Hands, LLC.  A boutique home healthcare business specializing in dementia, respite and recuperative care.

Brian Wooten was Shirley’s advisor when Shirley returned to KSU. Brian writes: “Shirley came back to KSU as a nontraditional student.   For many nontraditional students, involvement in the campus community is either intimidating or relegated to being only for the “young people”.  Shirley was not one of those students.  She felt a responsibility to be a part of various activities and she managed to establish herself as an important contributor to all that she participated with.  I knew her specifically because of her involvement with our Leaders IN Kennesaw (LINK) 3-year ethical leadership certificate program.  Shirley completed this program and traveled to Ghana, West Africa where she built connections with students from the Cape Coast region of that country.   She was one of the few that actually completed the leadership certificate and traveled internationally that year.

Shirley strongly believes in the power of education and supports this through her participation in the various Partner in Education programs.  She was “teacher for the day” at Park Street and “Principal for a day” at Lockheed Elementary.

One quality that separates Shirley from many is her good nature and compassion for others.  She genuinely cares about those around her and feels a responsibility to give back.”

Pictured above l-r Cheryl Matson, KSU, Shirley Murphy, KSU advisor, Brian Wooten.