THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407150201
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Rebecca Myers
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
For most people who work the overnight shift, daytime is reserved for little more than sleep.
Not so for Swanson Homes resident Dorita Epps.
``I used to go home and lie down, but I would just lie there,'' said Epps, who works 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. as a developmental aide at Southeastern Virginia Training Center in Chesapeake.
``If I don't know this (public housing) park is right, I'll just lie there awake. But if I get up and pray, then walk the park and see that nothing's going on, then I'm able to go back home and go to sleep because I know that everybody's OK and the park is settled.''
That's precisely why Epps is sometimes referred to as the ``saint of Swanson Homes.''
``It's amazing the impact that one person can have in this community,'' said Sandy Stip, manager of the public housing complex.
``When Dorita walks the park every day, she just feels free to speak to everybody about everything they're doing. If she sees kids gambling or if something's going on, she stops and talks to them. It's just amazing how much of an impact she has on the community,'' said Stip, who nominated Epps for the Jefferson Award, given locally through a contest by WAVY-TV.
In addition to patrolling the neighborhood each day, Epps has implemented a variety of programs, most of which are designed for and devoted to the children of Swanson Homes.
In the four years since moving to the neighborhood, Epps has started an after-school tutorial program and has organized numerous sports teams and field trips for the children.
For her efforts, Epps recently received national recognition. She was one of five people selected from a pool of 70 to receive the Jefferson Award, given annually to recognize the country's most outstanding volunteers.
To receive the award, Epps was flown to Washington, where she and the other award winners were asked to speak at the Supreme Court.
``I spoke on people helping people,'' said Epps, whose listeners included fellow winners Sarah and Jim Brady, actors Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, and Speaker of the House George Mitchell.
Epps said the gist of her talk dealt with how ``we all need to be neighbors again.''
``People need to start being concerned about other people and their families . . . we need to start helping one another again. This is my main concern,'' she said.
Stip, the public housing park manager, accompanied Epps to the nation's capital. The award-winner was ``cool as a cucumber'' during her talk, she said.
``Her speech was beautiful. It amazes me, to get up there with those kinds of people, the stress would be incredible, and she gave a beautiful speech about what she was trying to do.''
Then: ``I was so proud of her.''
Name: Dorita Epps
Nickname: My middle name, Gail
Neighborhood: Swanson Homes
Number of years in Portsmouth: 35
Birthplace: Portsmouth
Birthday: Dec. 16
Occupation: Developmental disability specialist
What other job than your own would you like? Mortician
Marital status: Divorced
Children: A son, 19, and a daughter, 21
Grandchildren: One, 16 months old
Fondest childhood memory: None
What song or book title best describes your life? ``Hero'' by Mariah Carey
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? I don't play the lottery.
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? I never idolized anyone except Jesus.
Biggest accomplishment: Improving my neighborhood and still doing so with continued help and effort.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Talk less and listen more.
I can't resist: Correcting children when I see them doing wrong.
Favorite Portsmouth hangout: Church of God and True Holiness, 2129 Chestnut St.
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: People lacking interest in helping other people.
If you had one wish for Portsmouth, what would it be? Let the children under 12 visit their parents in jail. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
KEYWORDS: PROFILE INTERVIEW
by CNB