THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 27, 1995 TAG: 9504250094
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THUMBS UP!
SOURCE: BY VICKI LEWIS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
WITH THE SUPPORT of local civic leagues, Gwendolyn Hawkins has been honored as the Civitan Club of Norfolk's City Employee of the Year.
Hawkins, the assistant executive coordinator of the Norfolk Environmental Commission, was nominated for the award by B.J. Stancel, president of the Park Place Civic League.
In nominating her, Stancel said: ``When Ms. Hawkins commits to a task, she delivers. She is relentless and persistent in meeting any goals she may set.''
Hawkins also received accolades and letters of support from other civic-leaguers who have worked with her on their neighborhood cleanup programs.
Hawkins works with two divisions within the Public Works Department, the Environmental Commission and Waste Management.
As assistant executive coordinator of the Norfolk Environmental Commission, Hawkins plans, directs and coordinates programs that educate and promote awareness and improvement of the environment in Norfolk. To that end, she serves as a liaison with individuals and groups in the community and manages volunteer litter cleanup and recycling programs, such as ``Adopt-A-Spot'' and neighborhood litter cleanups.
She also represents the Norfolk Environmental Commission and the Division of Waste Management at schools and at meetings and conferences.
The Civitan Club's awards program was started to honor city employees who often receive little or no recognition for their special efforts. Fred Heutte was the first City of Norfolk Employee of the Year in 1952. Ellen Harvey, a food service worker at James Monroe Elementary School, received the honor in 1994.
The winners of the annual award are usually notified of the honor by surprise.
``I was called to sit in on a meeting, which isn't unusual,'' she said. ``So I grabbed my note pad and went into the room, but there were a lot of people there I didn't recognize.
``They (the Civitan members) presented me with flowers and said the kindest words to me. It took a while for it to register. I'm a Toastmaster . . . but I couldn't speak.''
Hawkins has worked for the city for 17 years, including many years with the Division of Social Services. She started out with the city as a public education information specialist with the Norfolk Health Department.
She said that she is able to ``use all of the experience she's gained'' with the city in her current position.
``Everything in life is interrelated,'' she said.
Hawkins was born and raised in Chesapeake, but she has lived in Norfolk for many years, now in the Camellia Acres area. She has three sons from a previous marriage.
She has an undergraduate degree in human resources from Golden Gate University and is currently working on a master's degree in public administration from Old Dominion University.
Because of her work with the Environmental Commission, she said, she is very aware of recycling, and that awareness extends to her home.
``I even educate my friends, because they don't know,'' she said, adding that often friends will call her and ask for advice about what is recyclable and what's not.
Hawkins said she knew from an early age that she wanted to be in public service.
``Sharing and educating is just part of what I like to do,'' she said. MEMO: If you know someone whom you feel is deserving of a Thumbs Up! feature,
call Vicki Lewis at 446-2286.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIM WALKER
Gwen Hawkins is the assistant executive coordinator of the Norfolk
Environmental Commission.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE by CNB