Glendale Community College employee honored by colleagues for work ethic

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — For many in Arizona, keeping their cupboards stocked can be a challenge. Many people and organizations in the Valley are devoted to helping them out.

That includes Connie, an employee of Glendale Community College. She works tirelessly to make sure students and people in the surrounding community don’t lack food.

It’s a demanding job that never ends, and that’s why a coworker named Julie nominated Connie for a visit from Colton Shone and Arizona’s Family Surprise Squad.

“Connie gives her whole heart,” said Dr. Genesis Toole, the Dean of Student Life at the school. “She’s worked at Glendale Community College for over 30 years. She was a student here first and over the past year she’s impacted over 50,000 meals for students in the community, staff, faculty. She supports so many people and just works her heart out.”

“Everyone knows Connie,” Julie added. “If you need something, you go to Connie.”

The day the crew went to surprise her also happened to be a food distribution day on campus. That’s when St. Mary’s drops off a bunch of non-perishable food items. Dozens of student volunteers then work with Connie to get them all boxed and handed out to about 150 families.

Colton walked into the warehouse where Connie was addressing the volunteers. She looked a bit embarrassed when Colton singled her out.

“Your colleagues here nominated you for our Surprise Squad,” Colton told her. “They really wanted to show you that they just feel like you’re amazing.”

Connie insisted that she couldn’t do it alone and that every person in the room played an important part. She added that the energy of the students inspired her to do what she does.

Colton asked if she felt she deserved a break. She said she’d take that break when she retired someday.

Colton handed her an envelope and invited her to open it. Inside was a slip of paper informing her that she was getting a staycation at Hilton’s Sedona Resort at Bell Rock. She was going to get a two-night stay in one of their suites. Breakfast at the Shadow Rock restaurant and dinner in one of the resort’s Holiday Igloos were included.

He then gave her a second envelope and asked her to open it. When she read the note inside, Connie gasped and realized she was being given $5,000 to spend however she wanted, courtesy of Valley Toyota Dealers. She told Colton she planned to use the money to buy more food for her pantry.

“Work never ends,” Colton noted.

“Need doesn’t go away,” Connie added. “So how could the work end?”

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