Shari Spicer taking up the mission left by her mother to help women

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Reba Harris was given a vision by God to create the Gilead House. For 25 years, that was her life’s mission. Her daughter, Shari Spicer, watched every step her mother took. Today, she is walking in those footsteps.

Spicer was chosen to follow Harris as executive director of the Gilead House earlier this year, following the passing of her mother. But it wasn’t always her dream. In fact, she stayed on the fringes of the organization for many years.

“I knew about the call,” said Spicer of Harris’ vision for the Gilead House. “She shared the call with me, and I was on board with it. But in my head, it was only going to be a couple days a week. She'd be retired, and we could go on long weekends, or she and I could do more shopping. You know, those type of things.

“It turned into a full-blown ministry, and I wasn't always happy about it. I had to share my mother with women, from the CASA program to the Gilead House, all my life. This was nothing new, and it wasn't surprising that God called her to that. It was just an adjustment for the family. Mom was very very busy.”

Still, Spicer wanted to be supportive. She helped her mother with the initial set-up of the organization, but when it came to actually working for the Gilead House, she had other plans.

“I was in corporate America for 43 years; my last 17 years I was in HR and talent acquisition,” said Spicer. “I've been a corporate recruiter for years, and I really loved that. I got a lot of joy out of helping people and offering them positions; especially positions with compensation that changed their lives.

“But I also have an Associate’s in drug and alcohol counseling, and I have a Bachelor's in organizational leadership. So, people asked me often, ‘When are you going to follow in your mom's footsteps?’

“That wasn’t me at the time. I never really dreamed I would take her place. There were times I offered to work with her, but she never hired me. She felt like she couldn't pay me comparable to what I was doing.”

Despite that, Spicer and her children volunteered at Gilead House events. They stayed involved and pitched in when needed. Spicer helped organize the annual Gilead House Women’s Conference for 14 years and even served on the Gilead House executive board for a time. The dream was always there in the background, calling to her in times of need.

Eventually, Harris decided it was time to retire. Spicer jumped in enthusiastically to help. Perhaps, she supposed, those dreams of long weekends and shopping trips from 25 years ago had finally found their time.

“I planned her retirement party, and it was a lot of fun,” said Spicer. “It turned out beautiful. I told her then it would be an honor to follow her and continue her legacy. But she said to me, ‘You don't need 27 additional problems in your life.’”

Instead, Spicer worked to create job descriptions and a talent acquisition plan to help The Gilead House transition to new leadership. Unfortunately, the search for a new executive director ended in failure, and Harris returned to the executive director’s chair just weeks after retiring.

So, Spicer joined her mother at The Gilead House.

“I kind of settled in, and I began to like it,” said Spicer. “I was able to connect with the women, because part of the case management is doing intake. I was doing all of the intake, and I got to know a little bit about their story. I found myself wanting to help more.”

Rather than choose one dream over another, mother and daughter found a way to make both work. They led Gilead House and also found time to travel and enjoy the company of family. It was on a trip to Romania to visit with Spicer’s daughter that tragedy struck and Harris passed away.

One dream died. Spicer didn’t want the Gilead House to join it. A week after her mother’s funeral, as she reminisced about their time together, she realized that Harris’ mission had become her own.

“I could not let it fall through the cracks; I had to continue the legacy,” said Spicer. “I didn't intend on being the executive director, but I wanted to define my role when I came back.”

The organization’s board of directors, however, felt Spicer had the heart, the experience, and the ability to lead. They chose her as executive director right away. She was humbled and honored by the decision, but she knows what it entails and where she needs help.

“There was some intimidation with the job,” said Spicer. “I don't know all the key players in the city, but I’m learning. It's a big learning curve for me, but I know the Gilead House. I know the mission, I know the passion and the blood, sweat, and tears that have been poured into this ministry. I don't take that lightly, I'm very protective of it. That's why I'm here.”

Since being selected for the position, Spicer has worked to restructure some aspects of The Gilead House. With the assistance of the executive board, the organization has rebranded, and together they are re-establishing connections that threatened to fade away with Harris’ passing.

Part of that has meant rebuilding a donor base and drawing in clients that had been sent to other treatment and rehabilitative resources in the region. As had been the case for many years for the Gilead House, funding became a focus.

Fortunately, many donors are stepping up, private and public. The Center Township Trustee’s Office and the City of Kokomo both found some funding to contribute, and the organization is aggressively pursuing grants. And as more clients sign on with the Gilead House, more funding will follow.

“We need the support and the patience from our donors,” said Spicer. “We want to make sure they're aware of the changes that are taking place. We’re putting a new face on the Gilead House, and we need them to be a part of it.”

To learn more about the Gilead House and its mission, visit www.gileadhousekokomo.org or call 765-865-9427. Donations can be accepted through the website or brought to the organization at 406 E. Sycamore St. For email inquiries, send them to info@gileadhousekokomo.org.