My name is Sherrye Perry, and I am running for County Commissioner, because I believe public service should be exactly that- service.

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I live right here in this rural county, and like many of you, I've seen both our strengths and our struggles. We have dedicated educators, a strong faith community, a technical college preparing our work force and a university shaping future leaders. But most importantly, we have people who care about one another.

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For years, my work has focused on advocating for residents age 60 and older-Our parents, grandparents, neighbors and veterans. I serve as a delegate of North Carolina Senior Tarheels for our county at the North Carolina General Assembly and I stay actively involved with all eight of our senior sites because I believe our elders deserve dignity, access and a strong voice in local government. 

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 As a County Commissioner, I will listen, collaborate and lead with integrity. I will work to strengthen community services, support education, workforce development and ensure our county government is transparent, responsive and compassionate.

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Together we can build a county that honors its past, serves its present and plans responsibly for its future. I would be honored to earn your support.

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Sherrye Perry — A Practical Advocate for Madison County Sherrye Perry brings decades of hands-on experience in health advocacy, small business leadership, and community service to her campaign for Madison County Commissioner. A longtime Marshall resident, Perry has become a trusted voice on issues that matter to older adults, caregivers, and small business owners across western North Carolina.

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Champion for Seniors and Caregivers

Perry’s leadership in aging and adult-services advocacy is among her most notable credentials. In recognition of her work, she received the Carol McLimans Trailblazer Award in May 2024 — an honor given to professionals who are pioneering innovators in services for older adults across Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties.  Madison County… She has served as a delegate and leader with the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature, a statewide advocacy body that shapes legislative priorities for older North Carolinians. In October 2019 she was elected Secretary of the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature, representing Madison County in Raleigh and helping set policy goals on issues like funding for home-and-community care and senior centers. That role gave her direct experience working with state policymakers and with local aging-services organizations. Perry is also a board-certified patient advocate and organizes professional networks for eldercare providers — leading monthly gatherings of the Senior Care Professionals network that connect caregivers, case managers, and service providers to improve coordination and outcomes for county residents. Those long-standing relationships with health and human-service providers inform her practical approach to public policy for aging, health access, and caregiver support.

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Healthcare and Client Relations Expertise

Professionally, Perry has worked in client relations with home-care and health service organizations, helping families navigate care options and ensuring quality service delivery. Her background in client relations gives her a grassroots understanding of gaps in rural healthcare access and the operational realities of service providers — knowledge she says will shape county strategies to support aging in place, emergency response, and partnerships with regional health systems.

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 Small-Business Owner and Community Builder

Beyond health advocacy, Perry is a local entrepreneur who founded Gypsy Bee Natural Soap Company, producing handcrafted honey-based soaps from her Marshall property and promoting local micro enterprise. Her small-business experience — from product development to local marketing and tourism partnerships — gives her firsthand insight into the needs of Madison County’s small businesses and the role of responsible tourism and value-added agriculture in rural economic development.

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Collaborative, Results-Oriented Leadership

Across her volunteer and professional roles, Perry has emphasized coalition-building: working with local agencies, the Land of Sky Regional Council, area aging networks, and business groups. She combines practical case experience (helping individual families find care) with program leadership Volunteer work support (organizing professional networks and representing the county in statewide aging forums). Her approach is collaborative and data-minded — seeking scalable solutions such as increased funding for home-and-community services, stronger caregiver support, and locally driven business development initiatives.

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What She Offers Madison County

If elected, Perry says she will prioritize:

• Strengthening services that allow seniors to remain in their homes safely and with dignity.

• Making county government more responsive to caregivers and care providers by improving coordination and information flow among agencies. 

• Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs through targeted outreach, local tourism partnerships, and practical support for value-added agricultural enterprises like beekeeping and crafts. 

• Building fiscally responsible programs that leverage state and federal grants to expand home and-community care and senior services.