SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — She led Healthy Savannah's journey for 17 years, Sunday the community celebrated and thanked Paula Kreissler at a tribute honoring her retirement.  State Representative Edna Jackson presented a proclamation thanking Kreissler for her service. As Kreissler passed the baton to new executive director Armand Turner, she said she's thankful. WSAV's Tina Tyus-Shaw with the history of Healthy Savannah. “In the year 2006, I had a massive heart attack while I was attending a conference in Memphis. The way that I had that heart attack, other people were having heart attacks, strokes, suffering from high blood pressure, obesity and all kinds of things,” former Mayor Otis Johnson said.  And that’s when Healthy Savannah was born, when Mayor Johnson expressed his vision. He knew he couldn’t entrust it to just anyone, it had to be a visionary with passion, grit and a commitment to serving others. In steps Kreissler. "I think Paula saw the vision and what could happen,” Johnson said. “And being the leader that she is, she just took it almost like a personal crusade and helped to bring together people of all stripes and sizes. And she has created a magnificent organization.” And even from a young age, this little girl who grew up on a dairy farm in southwest Missouri lived healthy. "And that’s where I grew physically fit initially right?" Kreissler said. That early lifestyle would later inspire the movement that saved the lives of so many people at risk of chronic illnesses. She also raised awareness that helped prevent illness in healthy people. “Cause I read this book called Sugar Blues, and it basically said sugar is poison and that’s when my whole life changed,” Kreissler said. “I started self educating myself and went ahead and started learning things about being healthy.” She would go on to share that knowledge with all who would listen.  "One of the things that I admired about her was she would always tell me, I didn’t need to eat this and I didn’t need to eat that because I was over 200 pounds,” Rep. Jackson said. “And she was determined that she was going to get this weight off of me. And I’m happy to say she was very successful.” Executive Director Lizann Roberts said, "That was kind of the genesis of Healthy Savannah getting its legs and then really growing into the organization that it is today.” It’s an organization that has accomplished so much including a landmark citywide smoke free policy.  “Former Mayor Otis Johnson, he was in office, and we were able to pass a very strong smoke-free air ordinance in this city," Kreissler said. “Our deaths and death rates due to heart attack and heart disease plummeted in Chatham County. We’re still the best in the Coastal Health District. And it ‘s just amazing that worked because smoke free air impacts all of us.” Ask those whose lives she touched and they will tell you she’s a priceless jewel.  "People say old people are just so friendly here and she brings that to the table so I’m just so happy for her,” Jackson said. “Continue to travel, but don’t forget about Savannah. She has to be here to keep us all comfortable about what we are eating and correcting us when we are doing the wrong thing." Roberts said, “Joy for the work she does. She’s really a great ambassador for our community.  Love is another. Paula has a deep abiding love for our community." Johnson said, "She has done a great job of developing young leadership across the organization. And that means that the organization will continue to thrive and to grow into areas that we can’t even envision right now. And she has carefully mentored Armand, and I applaud Paula for her choice.”