For Barbara Case, Thanksgiving is the best holiday. She welcomes family and friends into her home to eat, drink, and enjoy each other's company. She delights in the making of the meal, and basks in the breaking of the bread. But what really makes Thanksgiving special for Barbara is 'the book'.

In 1997 she started the tradition of having everyone at the holiday feast write down what they were thankful for that year. This tiny exercise has turned into a time capsule filled with reflections of the past. She's seen her daughter, Ali, 18, and son, Tyler, 15, grow up on those unassuming notebook pages. And she has captured not only the memories but the mindsets of the people who have come through her door to share in the gift of gratitude.

Thanksgiving, it turns out, symbolizes how Barbara lives each day: giving thanks and giving back.

Whether it's donating her time to the Dianne DeVanna Center for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect or helping to drive the direction of the South Shore Women's Business Network (SSWBN), Barbara makes sure she gets involved. It is not that she has a lot of extra time allotted for volunteer work. As a wife, mother, and the vice president of investments at Moors & Cabot in Boston, one wonders how there are enough hours in the day for her to juggle it all.

Barbara, who will greet you with a warm, wide grin, a firm handshake, and a humorous off-the-cuff comment, has boundless energy. The old adage 'if you want something done ask a busy person' applies to her.

Yet, for Barbara, volunteering is not about keeping busy, it is about keeping herself grounded and humble. "I see so much greed and fear in my business, and those will break a person," she said in an interview with South Shore Woman. "You have to continue to give back."

And give back, she does.

Her nurturing nature and love of children led Barbara to get involved and, at one point, act as treasurer and Board of Director for the Dianne DeVanna Center, and she still supports the cause. In the late 1990s, she was the president of SSWBN and remains on the Board to this day. In addition, last year she was the president of the South Shore Business Roundtable, and she sits on the Board of the Pembroke Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to all of that, she's a Board member for the SSWBN Educational Foundation, a group that helps women 35 and older in the south shore counties who are embarking on a career change. The foundation gives a SSWBN member the ability to apply for a scholarship toward professional development. Often, it is women who are in need of education to help restart a career after a stint as a stay-at-home parent, a divorce, or even illness, for example. It is a stepping stone to help women change their lives, and is something that Barbara is proud to be a part of.

Even in her role as a financial advisor, Barbara is impacting people's futures. "I gain a full understanding of each client's life, goals and dreams, and I design an objective plan to provide clarity and confidence in both calm and volatile markets," she said. Most of all, it's about providing peace of mind.

Yet, she says, she wishes she could do more.

What she may not realize, however, is that even the small gestures--- like having Thanksgiving guests write down what they are most grateful for--make an enormous impact on others, because it tunes them back into what is important and forces them to focus on the precious moment.

 "I try not to miss moments," Barbara said.

By Stephanie Neil

Stephanie Neil is a journalist. Her business, technology, and human interest stories have appeared in a variety of print and online newspapers and magazines including eWeek, Managing Automation, The Harvard Alumni Bulletin, Huggies Baby Network, South Shore Woman, and The Boston Globe.  She lives on the South Shore with her two kids, two cats, and a dog. Contact info: stephanieneil@comcast.net  or 781-378-1652. Follow her on Twitter @StephanieNeil