Nine years ago when Judy Fishman moved to St. James Plantation, she heard about Hope Harbor Home and offered to volunteer. She’s been ...answering the phone there ever since. “The cause is wonderful. This was made for me,” she said. “It fits me and my personality.” She’s especially grateful that she is able to stay seated the four hours on Wednesdays and Fridays she’s in the office. She was diagnosed a few years back with multiple sclerosis, and although it’s in remission, she can’t be on her feet for long. “There is no threat to working here,” she said. “Whatever you do is appreciated.” She said she knows HHH is fulfilling its mission because she sees how victims of domestic abuse benefit from their stay. “They come in battered. I see sad faces in the beginning, and they seem to find contentment here. They have a definite change in personality, and they’ve found themselves here.” The former teacher had volunteered at Southport Elementary School twice each week where she tutored students in reading until health issues prevented her. She hopes to return in the fall as a proctor during testing times. “I am a teacher at heart,” she said. A life-long volunteer, she assisted in various capacities when her two daughters were growing up in New York. She claims The Bronx as her hometown but also lived in Yonkers, N.Y. and Haverstraw, N.Y. become coming to Brunswick County. A graduate of Hunter College in New York City, Judy majored in French and minored in education. When she was 20, her family traveled throughout Europe for six weeks, and she developed a life-long fascination with that continent. When asked what she likes about it, she said, “Everything!” Her favorite place is Florence, Italy because of the art and artifacts there. She continues to travel as much as her health allows. She and her husband, Marty, recently returned from three weeks in Australia. She liked the koala bears the most. They are cute. They are very fluffy. “I haven’t hit China yet,” she said, but visiting that county is in her future. Heading north is a frequent destination because the couple’s two daughters and their families, including three granddaughters, live in New Jersey, and Judy’s parents, both in their 90s, live in New York. “They’re still in the house my father built in 1957,” Judy said with pride. When she has free time, Judy does needlepoint, plays video games on the computer and is an avid New York Giants and New York Yankees fan. When asked how long she’s going to volunteer at HHH, she said, “Forever” and added, “It’s a safe haven for women in jeopardy. They can come here and get help.”