The Mailing Room is a business that lies right across from Braly Stadium. It’s a “if you blink, you might miss it” kind of building. But as soon as you walk in, you are greeted with smiles and two furry friends, Sage and Bella. Pam Clepper works alongside the owner and UNA alumni, Madeline Albright. 

Clepper is a travel guru, having been all over the U.S., most of Europe a couple of times, Africa and Turkey. Before she settled in the Shoals, she ran a division of a banking software company that helped community banks all over the country. While she had downtime during her job visits, she would enter marathons and half marathons in the cities that she would visit.

“You can’t see a city any better than by foot,” Clepper said. 

Clepper finally decided on choosing the Shoals as her new forever home for a couple of different reasons. 

She said she was drawn to the beauty, the people, and it is as she says, “Just big enough and just small enough.” 

Having a knack for putting on fundraising events, she found herself working alongside the Hall family. Clepper was at the opening of FAME Girls’ Ranch when she was approached by Director Cindy Hall. The two clicked and worked together on projects for the Ranch. 

“Cindy and I complement each other very well,” Clepper said. “We both have different gifts and collectively are really good together. It just was one of those kinds of things that are meant to be.”

She continued to talk about the girls who come to the Ranch. 

“They aren’t girls who have done bad things to end up there,” Clepper said. “They are leaving bad situations.” 

Clepper said she wanted to do anything she could to help the girls in any way possible. She continued on to say said that the first, and one of her favorite fundraising events that she put on for FAME Girls’ Ranch, was a trail ride with horses.

“Families were there, and everyone was able to enjoy it. I love horses so I really enjoyed it. It was just a really relaxing and fun time for everyone,” Clepper said.

Clepper said they have held multiple fundraising events at the MANE Room, but she really enjoyed Mac Davis.

“He was the salt on the earth,” Clepper said. “He was just an amazing person to work with when you’re putting on an event like that.” 

Many might wonder why Clepper felt so compelled to help FAME Girls’ Ranch. 

Clepper said it is because she wants to let the girls see that there is another life that they could live. She also wants to help show them what a healthy family dynamic works and looks like. 

“Everyone should know what it feels like to be loved and to be taken care of,” said Clepper. 

Clepper has only one son but said that she has always had a spot in her heart for girls. 

“I have a lot of adopted girls from Texas to the Carolinas, and I have a lot of them here in the Shoals; she [Madeline Albright] just happens to be one of them,” Clepper said. 

Along with volunteering with FAME Girls’ Ranch, Clepper works at The Mailing Room. 

She was asked to come and work by the new owner, Madeline Albright, who bought it from the previous owner in March of 2020 and reopened in April the same year. 

Clepper said that she likes working there because she is able to see so many people. 

“I get to see a lot of people from my job before in banking that I hadn’t seen in a while,” Clepper said. “I worked at Bank Independent here [Florence, Al] for 19 years and I was also in Service League here. So, being here is just great to see a lot of familiar faces I haven’t seen in a while.” 

Clepper said she loves to interact with people, and that is another reason why she enjoys working at The Mailing Room. 

“You know, we have some customers who come in who aren’t always smiling,” Clepper said. “So, I try to make them my project and I’ve been very successful. Before long some of those people, who came in before with a frown, are now smiling before they even walk in the door.” 

After being nominated and winning Woman of the Year, Clepper said that she is not used to people taking her picture and asking questions about her life. 

“I’m just not used to it,” Clepper said. “I’m not used to having attention to what I’m doing. I just do what I do. I don’t do this for any of the news or a living. I just do this because I want to make a difference.” 

Clepper believes that volunteering her time is another way that she expresses her faith.

“I feel like there is a reason why we are all here, and it’s to serve,” said Clepper.