By Ammie Ruddle
To move up in life, can sometimes mean one must step down first.
Ciara Lambert, executive director for the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced earlier this month, on social media, that effective today she will be resigning from her current position.
She said, “I feel I can better serve my family while being a work-at-home mother, and plan to continue to serve my community but more through a volunteer capacity.”
“Sometimes in life, we must figure out how to manage the pressures and stress of family, home, and even loss, in addition to work. I can honestly say that Ciara has had her fair share of this, especially over the last year,” said Samantha Puffenbarger, board secretary for the chamber of commerce and CVB.
“Even through it all, she has gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure her community didn’t suffer. No one in this community knows how hard she worked and will never know fully.” Puffenbarger is talking about Lambert.
Lambert served as executive director for 2 1/2. Lambert’s role included hosting fundraisers and local events such as, Main Street Magic, Trout Fest, car shows and more.
One of Lambert‘s accomplishments she said was that she “partnered with SP Photography to donate hundreds of pajamas and clothes for foster children, and patients of the West Virginia University Children’s Hospital. In addition to helping children, we were also able to get donations for PAWS.”
“Much of my role I tied CVB and chamber together,” she said, “recently through a collaboration with the EDA, a rebrand for the county was established, Pendleton Rocks Worth the Climb. This project is one I hope the next director grasps. It is essential that the person who takes on this role understands how important tourism is to the economic development within Pendleton County. This is where we will grow. If tourism strives, everything else will also strive.”
Lambert added, “My passion for Pendleton County will never fizzle out simply because I’ve chose to change my job title. I still very much plan to play an active role in the community’s development moving forward, but at this point in my life, a volunteer role is much more fitting for myself and my family.”
“It will be very hard to replace someone as passionate for her county and even the state of West Virginia, as Ciara is. I know she will continue to do great things for Pendleton County in her own way,” Puffenbarger said.
