在种植的地方开花
Housekeeper Teresa Golson received a Massey Award for 22 years of service to the University and helping the 北卡罗莱纳植物园 stay clean and safe for visitors during the pandemic.
Teresa Golson starts her work every day at the front gates of the 北卡罗莱纳植物园 通过擦拭工作人员用于进入的pin pad. The gates aren’t part of the buildings she’s responsible for cleaning as a housekeeper, 也没人让她给它们消毒, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year she 太阳城娱乐城ed for ways to keep the staff safe and, 通过扩展, 保持花园对公众开放.
Garden staff say that’s just one way that Golson goes above and beyond anyone’s expectations. 她知道每个员工的名字, offers to walk with them to their cars at night and helps carry boxes and set up tables for events. 在卡罗莱纳做了22年管家, 戈尔森对工作的投入从未动摇, 当她因“与众不同”而获奖时，没有人感到惊讶, 杰出的或卓越的贡献.”
漫长的等待
1985年，戈尔森从她的家乡费耶特维尔搬了出来, 北卡罗莱纳, to Chapel Hill for a new start and to work at a restaurant on Franklin Street. 当她到达时, she had no connection to Carolina and no plans to join the University, 但在1996年，她申请了一份管家的工作. 她开始在现场清洁队工作, learning about campus by working in a different building or space every day. 在北卡罗来纳大学政府学院做过家政工作之后, 葛培理纪念堂, Ram Village Apartments and the Friday Center for Continuing 教育, in 2017 Golson became part of the two-person crew that cleans the 北卡罗莱纳植物园 daily from 4 p.m. 到午夜. Despite the late hours, Golson says this position has been her favorite so far.
“I’m not a botanist, but I’m learning more every day about flowers,戈尔森说。. “Every night while I clean, I’m surrounded by wildflowers, birds, sculptures and salamanders. I see more beauty and nature in one day than some people see in a month.”
At home, Golson applies what she learns at the garden to landscaping her own backyard. The only thing she hasn’t discovered yet is how to keep deer from treating her new hobby as their own personal snack bar. She also volunteered for a year on the committee for the Carolina Community Garden, a program that grows and distributes free vegetables and fruit so all University employees can have access to fresh produce year-round. Spending her free time for the benefit of others is typical of Golson, 谁的同事一提到她就对她赞不绝口.
每次与奥巴马会面. 戈尔森是一个令人愉快的人. 她知道你的名字, asks questions and is very much part of the staff here at the 北卡罗莱纳植物园. 我们都很重视她的善意和出色的工作,” wrote Donor Relations and Membership Coordinator Allison Essen in her Massey Award nomination letter. “She always goes above and beyond what is expected and is always happy to fulfill any out-of-the-ordinary request.”
“我希望能再和特蕾莎一起工作10年,安德鲁·吴说。, 花园保洁队的另一半.
出乎意料但实至名归
戈尔森认识过去获得过梅西奖的同事, 但她说她从未想过自己会被考虑.
“I’m so happy and grateful, but I was in shock when I heard that I won,戈尔森说。. “我只是团队的一员，做着必要的工作.”
That necessary job involves deep-cleaning every surface of the garden, 为数不多的免费之一, 在大流行期间保持开放的公共场所. 擦拭每一个扶手, bench and gate ensured that during an isolating time visitors could briefly escape their homes to get a breath of fresh air and stroll among the flora and fauna. While the pandemic could be a frightening time for cleaning crews, Golson was comforted by much of her work taking place outdoors.
Golson says that she and Woo have always cleaned the garden to “pandemic standards,” but their work took on a new significance in the past year and a half. The sense of accomplishment she achieves after a night of work is compounded by knowing she serves the greater good by keeping others healthy and safe during an uncertain time.
“我最大的爱就是帮助别人, whether it’s part of my job or something that just makes their day easier,戈尔森说。. “帮助别人永远不会伤害任何人.”
下次你来花园的时候, you might spot Golson in the buildings or among the plants cleaning and learning more about nature. She says she’s always happy to chat or help a first-time visitor find their way around the garden and recommends seeing the art exhibitions and courtyard. Mostly, she says she hopes others get to appreciate the scenery she sees on a daily basis.
“有多少人会说这是他们工作中的观点?戈尔森凝视着花园里的展品，问道.
这个故事是油井对C的报道的一部分. 诺克斯·梅西杰出服务奖, 它承认“不寻常”, 杰出的或卓越的贡献” by University employees. 阅读更多获奖者.
