Introducing... Eileen Whelan

By Jeff Curtis, Director Orange Downtown Alliance | Posted: Saturday, July 11, 2009

Eileen Whelan
Membership Committee Chairperson
Co-Owner Orange Chiropractic

Social capital is a social science concept used in business that refers to connections within and between social networks. (From Wikipedia)

Social Capital. That's a term I had not heard before this morning. It's a term that Eileen uses in describing what she considers one of our greater assets and what we can put our hopes in for the successful future of Orange.

Having moved here 20 years ago this July, right out of Chiropractic School, Eileen and her husband Terry were looking for a suitable town to establish their chiropractic business. The choices were narrowed down to Fredericksburg, Culpeper and Orange. Orange being chosen because, "it was a perfect Main Street community," she said, "it was a friendly small American town that reminded me of the small town I grew up in in upstate New York. We moved here with only a couple hundred dollars between us, Terry's 1978 Chevy pickup truck and lots of student loans. It was only after my mom helped us that we were approved for a loan to get started. Our first office was in the Orange Village Shopping Center" she said, "and you can bet we did a lot of the work ourselves just trying to get it opened. But then, even before we were ready there was a sticky note on the door saying, 'I'm in pain. Please call me. Here's my number.' We had our first patient!"

And the Whelans have been busy ever since. After 6 years at the original location the practice was moved to the Silk Mill building for additional space because of Terry's insistence to include therapeutic exercise and fitness in conjunction with the chiropractic care they'd been giving their patients.

Eileen has been with the Orange Downtown Alliance for about 8 years and as one of the Directors for the past year and a half. Recently, she has taken control of directing our annual membership campaign and has organized a committee who are securing the financial resources the ODA needs to move forward.

When I inquired as to her professional goals she explained her sincere interest in our community's health. "We want to have an impact on the health and vitality of people who live and work around Orange, not only in our chiropractic practice but in their daily eating and exercise habits too" she explained.

And it seems that the Whelan's practice that professional philosophy to the extreme: they are one of the largest contributors to the Orange County Children's Toy Box Program, they support the Food Bank, the homeless shelter, are one of the main sponsors of the Rapidan Run, providing sports training programs and participating regularly in the Orange County Chamber of Commerce!

Eileen is a business leader and community advocate who truly believes, and practices that, "It's important for people to participate in activities that promote the best for our community. It's that social capital that makes the difference."

For more information on Orange Chiropractic contact twhelan@orangechiro.com.