Jane Dimel
Forty years ago, Billie Strader says the Baptist Church led her to her true calling: helping people.
“I feel that I am trying to do the Lord’s work through my hands,” Strader says.
A former beautician-turned-philanthropist, Strader approaches life with a gesture of goodwill and has devoted her time in retirement to community service, and through founding the Sunshine Gang and working with local organizations, uplifts members of Grove City and supports veterans.
Formative years
Billie Strader
Pennsylvania born, Strader spent her childhood years growing up with the family motto: treat everyone you come across with respect and dignity.
Moving to Ohio in her early 20s, Strader began a career as a beautician, where she gained the habit of talking to people and truly listening to their stories. She also learned the importance of appearance, donning false eyelashes and artificial nails since her early days of beauty school, where Strader earned her status as a familiar face partially due to her signature look.
During that time, she met her husband Don, and the couple of 53 years resided on the west side of Columbus, going on to work together at and own Ed Zipf Lockshop and raise five children with the same golden rule Strader grew up with.
A philanthropic calling
Strader’s interest in philanthropy began back in the ’80s, fundraising the Karl J. Fulton Pony League, a youth football club Don coached. The team consisted of kids from disadvantaged backgrounds and required supplemental funding for proper uniforms and regulated gear.
“Through helping these children, I had the desire to do even more,” Strader says.
Working with Don at the lock shop during the day, Strader spent most of her free time volunteering at Mount Carmel West, leading to her election to president of the auxiliary of Mount Carmel West. In 1992, while Strader was a chairman for Mount Carmel East and West’s auxiliaries, she organized her first wide-scale charity event, where she put together a silent auction, fundraising for the Hospice Department of Mount Carmel. Partnering with Ameriflora’92 – a floral exhibit in Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens – the auction and a 50/50 raffle raised $125,000 for the hospital.
During this time, Strader and her family moved to the Grove City area and developed a relationship with Mayor Ike Stage. Strader’s passion for raising money for good causes became essential in the city as Stage connected Strader to elderly communities and local community events where she could help.
From there, Strader continued putting on fundraiser events for the hospital and connecting with more people who would help her achieve her goal of giving.
“I talked to my nail tech, and I said, ‘We've got to help these people, do you know anybody who can make some donations for us?’ and she said, ‘You can start with me,’” Strader says. “It’s just a matter of asking.”
Billie Strader
Continued acts of service
Billie Strader
Strader’s focus began to pivot toward veteran work after her husband, a Vietnam veteran, went on an Honor Flight with Honor Flight Columbus, a nonprofit organization which provides free trips for veterans to Washington D.C.
Don suffers from exposure to Agent Orange, an herbicide containing toxic contaminants used during the Vietnam War and is correlated with significant health issues such as Parkinson’s, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and various cancers.
Through seeing and hearing about her husband’s and other veterans’ various experiences, Strader’s philanthropic passion began to blossom. Already writing Christmas cards for several elderly communities, Strader connected with Beth Johnson, Director of Honor Flight Columbus, and asked what can be done to help.
“Some of them didn't have anything on that flight coming home. I said, ‘No vet should go without mail,’” Strader says.
This led to Strader’s work with the Honor Flight Mail Call. Each year Strader writes handwritten notes to the veterans going on the Honor Flights. This work inspired her to extend her veteran work into the community of Grove City, allowing opportunities for community members to donate and learn more about the Honor Flight program.
In 2021, Strader founded the Sunshine Gang, a group that started out as a chance to brighten the lives of those who feel alone, which soon turned into a community-wide philanthropy group. The Gang is made up of more than 40 members who organize events to honor veterans, supporting the homeless and care for animals in local shelters, all surrounding the group’s mission: to remind every person they matter and are not alone.
Strader hosts meetings for the Sunshine Gang at Grovewood Place, a senior housing complex. The Gang meets for holiday parties, special projects, fundraiser discussions and often just to get together for the communal aspect of it all.
“If you can't be a sunshine to somebody, what good are you?” Strader says, “If you can make them feel that they’re loved, that they're needed, that they're cared about. That's what we do. That's the way I feel we should be.”
During each meeting Strader lays out thank you cards from veterans for the group to read and physically see the results of their goodwill. With each letter, Strader tears up at the very simple fact of making someone’s day.
“At 78, I didn't know I’d get to do so many wonderful things,” Strader says.
Growing the Gang
Billie Strader
Strader’s work has made a mark on Grove City, being invited by the Grove City Rotary Club to speak on the events she has been organizing and to spread the mission of service above self. Soon after, Strader joined the Rotary Club as an official member to continue her humanitarian service.
Strader and the Sunshine Gang were also recognized by the City during Random Acts of Kindness week last December. Mayor, and friend of Strader’s, Ike Stage, awarded Strader with a Letter of Recognition, commending the group for their continuous acts of service.
Strader is currently busier than ever, continuing her outreach with Sunshine Gang into the larger Columbus area through working with Jordan’s Crossing Resource Center, which serves low income families and helps people struggling with homelessness and addiction, and on the Bean Dinner at West Gate celebrating veteran history of reuniting over bean dinners during the Civil War.
She’s also planning the Gang’s involvement in Arts in the Alley, where the group will be hosting a booth and walking in the parade, and starting the process to becoming a state recognized nonprofit.
Her life is also growing personally, as she and Don have recently welcomed their first great-grandson into the world.
“This is an exciting time for my life,” Strader says.
Maggie Valentine is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
