LaGRANGE –   The Daily News’ weekly Neighbors series features one person from LaGrange and the surrounding area. This week we sought out someone with a big heart in honor of Heart Health Awareness Month with Callaway Elementary School nurse and LaGrange High School graduate, Alexia West.

LaGrange Daily News: You said you were a LaGrange High School graduate. Are you originally from here?

West: I was born and raised in LaGrange. … I went to Troup County Schools throughout my career as a student here, and (I graduated) LaGrange High School 2000 class. I went to Columbus State, and I ended at West Georgia Technical College. I’ve been a LPN for 11 years.

LDN: What inspired you to become a nurse?

West: I’ve just always loved taking care of people. I’ve always been just a caregiver. … I remember being small and having either sick neighbors or relatives and I was just so compelled to, drawn to make sure they were ok. I just wanted to make sure they were fine, not to say that I was always the one who was a health nut, but just compassion, making sure that people were ok – were fine – so I’ve just always known that this second nature that I want to be a nurse.

LDN: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

West: In my free time, I love shopping. I love spending quality time with my family – with my boys. I love cooking. I enjoy relaxing. I don’t get to do that often. I like to spend time traveling.

LDN: Where do you like to go?

West: Florida. Nowhere outrageous or anywhere. Panama City. I love to spend time traveling with my boys. I have two boys – Joshua (6) and Kaeden (8) – … and my husband – we’ve been married for seven years. And just being involved with the community like now (the ISweat Red race) here and volunteering with the community involvement, I volunteer also.

LDN: What is your favorite place in the community?

West: Church is a good place really. I like going. I attend Destiny Worship Center in Hogansville, and I’m really involved in my church. … LaGrange is growing, so it is getting bigger, so I think we are going to get more to do. I see the mall is growing, and I’m a big shopper, so I’m anxious to see what they are going to have at the mall here.

LDN: What would you like to see come to town?

West: I would like to see more shopping places like a little mini mall, a mini strip mall. Newnan has more places to go. Columbus has more places to go, but I would like to see more shopping availability. … More things for kids, for families to do. The kids don’t have really anything to do here. We have to go out of town to do things like Monkey Joe’s or something like that.

‘Neighbors’ is a weekly series by the Daily News that highlights community members. To nominate a person to be featured, call 706-884-7311.