Zana Price wasn’t born into royalty, but she has certainly earned her nickname, the Queen of Foley.

Price, who has also been compared to the Energizer Bunny, has a big personality and a work ethic that never quits. Her mind is constantly ablaze with ideas, and her calendar is full of events, parties and fundraisers.

“It’s better that I use my powers for good rather than evil,” said Price, who is known for her talents in directing trips and events. “I try to do things the fun way. I’m a cruise director for life.”

Price is involved in just about every activity in Foley, but she spends most of her time during the Christmas season at the Foley Performing Arts Association’s art center on West Laurel Avenue.

The art center hosts Trim-a-Tree, a consignment shopping opportunity that is available until Christmas Eve. Price can go through the entire place, naming the artist who made that ornament or the sculptor who created that bowl. And she doesn’t just know about their art — she knows them personally.

“I get to meet so many people,” she said. “I have no artistic ability at all, but I organize people, and I have one or two good ideas a year.”

Price admits that she sees herself as a control freak, but JaNay Dawson, retired Baldwin County assistant superintendent, said Price’s constant involvement in the community and her talent for organizing and planning is a priceless asset to Foley.

“It’s always very exciting to work with Zana because she is just an endless force of energy,” Dawson said. “She comes up with some very creative ideas, and it’s just always fascinating to be part of that process. Her dedication to these schools and to our community is evident, and it is always for the benefit of someone else. Her projects are people focused, and that’s always a great thing.”

Price’s other major project is the concession stand she has run for 35 years at Foley High School football games.

The concession stand sells $6,300 in about three hours, and Price said she loves the fast-paced, hustle and bustle of Friday nights at the stadium. It reminds her of Black Friday, which she looked forward to every year during her time working in retail.

“Those kinds of things just thrill me,” Price said. “People used to tell me, ‘Oh, you should sell real estate. You should sell cars,’ but you know, I can only sell those things I believe in and I’m passionate about.”

Price is also on Foley’s Centennial committee, and she’s excited about the 2015 celebration. Being the Queen of Foley, she said commemorating the city’s 100^th anniversary will be an emotional experience for her.

“It’s about preserving the past, but yet improving on the future — still embracing our traditions, but doing it a little different every year,” she said. “To me, Foley is the perfect place to live. We’ve got the best of both worlds. We’ve got new blood that comes in, but then you’ve the got core group of generational people. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Relay for Life is another event Price has been passionate about for years — she is a charter member of Foley’s Relay for Life committee.

But six years ago, raising money for cancer research became even more important and deeply personal. Price was diagnosed with breast cancer at 53, and she had to go through chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

She said still experiences fatigue and forgetfulness because of the chemotherapy’s effects on her body, but six years after being diagnosed, Zana is as involved and passionate about Foley as ever, and she has also added educating people about cancer to her resume of activities.

During her treatment, she kept a blog, and now she shares her experiences with others who have been diagnosed, giving them practical advice, like making sure to have dental work done before starting chemotherapy because it will make their teeth hurt.

Price says having cancer made her learn to slow down sometimes, and even though she’s still busier than most, she says she’s had to slow down considerably over the past six years.

“I’m not a better person; I’m a different person from having cancer,” she said. “I’m dealing with a new me. I’ve had to learn to scale back and say no to a lot of things I used to always take on, and I had a hard time emotionally dealing with my limitations. I have to have recharge days.”

Price may think she’s slowing down, but Dawson says members of the community are amazed at her selfless desire to keep giving back.

“I think that when speaking about herself, she probably doesn’t realize that every effort that she puts forth, she is always focused on the improvement of or gift for others, and I don’t know if she realizes that what she does is always for someone else,” Dawson said. “But that’s what others see.”