By Chase Ladner

NATCHEZ — Deanne Tanksley is a constant state of motion. From work to volunteering to running, she rarely comes to a full stop.

But when she does, Tanksley can be found crunching the numbers for a variety of non-profit organizations in town.

Tanksley bounces between her work as a partner with the Gillian Group, and then to the United Way, and then to the Natchez-Adams County Human Society, and then to the Natchez Garden Club when ever the chances arise.

“She’s a hero to the animals,” said Tammi Prince, who is the director of the United Way. “And she’s a hero to the people.”

Prince has worked with Tanksley to help support the humane society while working together at the United Way.

“When it comes to these organizations, I don’t say ‘no,’” Tanksley said.

Tanksley’s work involves logistics. Accounting, budgeting and fundraising come naturally, she said.

Tanksley began volunteering at the United Way in 2005. She worked to get as much value out of budget as possible so more of the donations can go to the charities the United Way serves.

Now she serves on the board of the United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou.

“She’s not one to talk about herself,” Prince said.

Prince said Tanksley is always around to help, even when she does not expect Tanksley to be.

“I do what I do because it’s the right thing to do,” Tanksley said.

Tanksley took a leadership role with the humane society. She focused on fundraising by organizing parties and 5K runs to raise the money to buy the property the new animal shelter owns.

There is no such thing as an average day for Tanksley. She says she works deadline to deadline to fit all the organizations that she wants to help in.

During the busier parts of the year, her workdays start at 6:45 a.m. and end past 9 p.m. and she maintains that pace for a week or more.

With a packed schedule, Tanksley is selective of which organizations she puts her efforts into.

“I don’t support organizations I don’t believe in,” Tanksley said.

Originally from Arkansas, Tanksley and her husband came to Natchez in 2002 with the ambitions of fixing up an older home.

In 2014, much of the work is still not done because she and her husband choose to do as much of the work as they can themselves.

Her family has adopted several shelter dogs, and she is training to do a triathlon.