Alison Hall The Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative's May 2009 Real Woman is Alison Hall, child advocate and Women's Outdoor board member. Alison is employed by SunTrust Bank. She is originally from Connecticut and first came to Atlanta to attend graduate school. One of Alison's first volunteer experiences in Atlanta was with Cool Girls. She served as a Board Member, as well as being a Big Sister to a cool girl from an economically disadvantaged single parent home. Over time, Alison got involved with additional nonprofit agencies as well. Alison is currently a Big Sister in the Boys and Girls Club's Big Brother, Big Sister program. In addition, she is a board member of For the Kid in All of Us, Inc. For the Kid works to provide toys, school supplies, and backpacks for needy and underprivileged children. It is best known for its Toy Party and Silent Auction event in December and its Backpack in the Park event, held in August of each year. Alison related a story of one little girl with a dream-a Dora the Explorer backpack. The little girl charmed the volunteers, who went through all the backpacks in their collection until they made her dream come true!

Alison also stays busy as a board member for the Women's Outdoor Network (WON), a nonprofit organization that offers women opportunities for outdoor recreation with other women. She also observed that WON has expanded its offerings to include indoor social events and non-traditional sports such as Whirly Ball and Laser Tag.

As final proof of her very large heart, we offer up the story of how Alison wound up with five cats. First came Sam, the hungry stray. Then Alison encountered a feral mother cat with three kittens. The first kitten she rescued was Carlton. Then she caught Carlton's two brothers, Simon and Schuster. Finally the mother surrendered to Alison's kindness, joining the family as Layla-- cat number five. Alison swears she never wants to be known as "the Cat Lady."

But Alison doesn't need to worry. Cats are just a small part of the caring she contributes to the community. Women and children throughout Atlanta are grateful for the size of her heart.

In closing, Real Woman features Alison's answers to nine questions adapted from the well-known Proust Questionnaire:

1. What is your idea of happiness?
   To do what I want and good friends to do it with.
   
   
2. What quality do you most admire in a person?
   Honesty and dependability.
   
   
3. Who are your heroes in real life?
   Warren Buffet, Betty Friedan, and Jimmy Carter.
   
   
4. What is it that you most dislike?
   Violence
   
   
5. What natural gift would you most like to possess?
   Artistic skills
   
   
6. What is your favorite occupation?
   Teacher
   
   
7. What is your favorite exercise?
   Hiking and biking
   
   
8. What is your favorite color?
   Magenta
   
   
9. How would you like your tombstone to read?
   No tombstone-hopefully I will have left my mark in some other way.