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Driver's kind acts awarded again

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By JOYCE McKENZIE

jmckenzie@tampatrib.com

Published: November 4, 2009

TEMPLE TERRACE - Michelle Wilkinson loves people of all ages. But the 35-year-old city employee's greatest joy comes from interacting with seniors.

Wilkinson's care and concern for the community's elders has earned her the recognition of her peers, who recently selected Wilkinson as the city's 2009 Employee of the Year, an award she has won for the second consecutive year.

A little more than two years ago, the former Temple Terrace Family Recreation Complex customer service assistant opted to take a cut in pay when she was hired to drive the city's van used to transport seniors to and from activities at the Omar K. Lightfoot Recreation Center. Her job responsibilities also include driving residents 55 and older to doctors' appointments and on other errands such as to the pharmacy and grocery store.

In conversation with some of her senior patrons this year, she learned about an elderly Temple Terrace couple who were cited by city code officials for their overgrown and unkempt yard. Aware of their physical frailties and their lack of money to pay for yard maintenance, Wilkinson offered to spend her day off from work mowing the couple's grass and pulling weeds.

Minus transportation due to a car accident, Wilkinson set out on foot from her Tampa home early one Saturday morning in August for a 20-minute jaunt to the couple's residence. By the time she completed the day's worth of yard work her clothing was soaked with sweat and her fingers were raw with blisters.

But those issues didn't matter. Instead, Wilkinson focused on her feeling of exhilaration for being able to lend a hand to the couple.

"Isn't that how we are supposed to treat our elders?" Wilkinson said.

Joe Gross, the city's code compliance director, worked with Wilkinson in giving the couple a grace period on the fine they faced had their yard not been brought up to code. He was impressed with her philosophy toward seniors and her heartfelt generosity in assisting them.

"We need more people like her in this world," he said.

It was Kelly Ahearn, a staff recreation leader at the Lightfoot center, however, who nominated Wilkinson for the award.

"She goes out of her way to help our seniors," said Ahearn, who also recalled Wilkinson being named last year's outstanding employee for her part in possibly saving the life of a senior female diabetic resident who called to schedule a ride to her doctor's office. When Wilkinson noticed the woman's voice sounded weak she alerted paramedics who went to her aid.

City Manager Kim Leinbach acknowledged Wilkinson's extraordinary good deeds during the Oct. 21 Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club. He also presented her with a plaque.

"Michelle goes above and beyond the call of duty in her service to our seniors," Leinbach said. "To receive the award two years in a row is unprecedented."

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 731-8026.

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