DECATUR - The newest member of the Decatur City Council joined after the tension of the election died down, but for her, it's another chapter in a life defined by service.

Decatur native Dana Ray took the oath of office at last month's council meeting, stepping into the seat left vacant by Mike McElroy when he won the race for mayor. Her selection makes her the only African-American member on the council.

At 36, Ray has served 12 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, done missionary and medical work in Kenya in her capacity as a minister for Life Changers Church and now works as a physician at the Community Health Improvement Center.

Although Ray didn't know she'd be a politician, she knew she was ready to take a more active role in public service.

Part of her decision to go for the vacant seat came from her desire to solve problems in the community rather than just gripe about them, she said.

"If there's things you don't like in Decatur, come back and change it instead of just complaining about it," Ray said.

Though she has chosen to return to the place where she grew up, she has seen firsthand how others live. She spoke about how her experiences starting a ministry for Life Changers and doing medical work in Kenya shaped her view of the world.

"The first time I went to Kenya, I was in medical school," Ray said. "I was living in a one-bedroom apartment. I had a color TV that the knobs had broken off of. At times, I was a little discouraged. After going to Kenya and seeing how they lived, I came home a lot more appreciative of the little things that I had. I realized I had a lot of luxury, more than a lot of other people in the world."

She said family was a big reason she returned to Decatur. Growing up in a house with four siblings, she now has many nieces and nephews.

"I don't think there ever was a dull moment," Ray said. "My sister and I were always doing stuff. If someone was messing with our brothers, us being the big sisters would come to the rescue. I think we had a lot of fun."

Ray said she wants to be a role model to children in the community and show them that growing up and settling down in Decatur provides many opportunities and experiences.

"I want them to know that just because you grow up around here does not mean that you are not going to have the same opportunities or the same choices as everybody else," Ray said. "Nothing's going to change as long as our educated and promising kids leave and don't come back and make it better."

Barbara Dunn, director of the CHIC clinic, said Ray will provide the council with somebody who understands the common difficulties of many people in the community.

"She sees and has a lot of contact professionally with people in this community that, for different reasons, possibly feel somewhat disenfranchised," Dunn said. "I think that that's an interesting perspective to have because she deals on the one hand with professionals in the hospital, but she also deals with a patient base that's often in need of a number of services."

Ray also brings the perspective of an African-American resident, something the recently elected council lacked prior to her appointment. Ray said that fact doesn't put any additional pressure on her.

"I don't want someone to feel like they can't come talk to me because of that," Ray said. "I'm here to represent everyone."

Ray will finish McElroy's unexpired term, which is up at the end of April 2011.