Lending a helping hand

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mariah Tolbert
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  Many base personnel needing help with taxes or legal concerns have visited the 4th Fighter Wing's legal office in the Seymour Johnson Consolidated Support Center.

Over the past two years, many may have been greeted or assisted by Ms. Nettie Twiggs, the front office volunteer often known as "Twiggy." Recently Twiggs was nominated as the base "Volunteer of the Year" and was invited to meet Governor Beverly Purdue in Raleigh, N.C.

"This was the shock of my life," Twiggs said. "I never knew that anyone cared that much for me and it is a true honor."

Purdue met with 21 of North Carolina's Top Volunteers and awarded them with the Governor's Medallion and a letter of recognition for their service.

"I commend these volunteers for their service commitment to the needs of our citizens," Purdue said. "I am proud to say these honorees call North Carolina home."

(Not only was Twiggs recognized by the governor of North Carolina but also appreciated by the personnel she works with daily.) While working in the legal office, she has assisted with more than 1,000 wills and other estate documents and was a key factor in saving clients more than $282,000 in legal fees.

"Ms. Twiggs is a morale builder and a force multiplier," said Deborah Bovankovich, 4th FW legal secretary. "Everyone in the office is nourished not only by the fine baked goods she brings in but also her fountain of experience and exuberance."

When asked why they believe Twiggs was nominated for the volunteer of the year, many believed it was for her dedication and dependability in the office as well as being a selfless and compassionate contributor to the Seymour Johnson community.

"Like our Air Power, she is on target, on time," Bovankovich stated.

Twiggs doesn't volunteer for the awards or the recognition. She is a fan of being a friend to everyone while supporting the military as it supported her family for more than 30 years. Retired Maj. James Twiggs, her husband, retired from the Army after 30 years of service and moved home to Goldsboro.

"I love meeting folks," Twiggs explained. "It keeps me from going nuts. I enjoy cooking, so working in the office gives me a lot of guys to try out my cooking on, and it allows me to help folks in return from what has been given to me as a volunteer. It is a pleasure to help others and I hope it will keep me young."

Twiggs recently cut back the amount of time she volunteers, but the legal office looks forward to having her in the office at least one day a week until she is able to come back to volunteer full-time.

"We definitely miss all of her wonderful baked goods, and for the work that she did for us, it is very hard to find a full-time volunteer who wants to take the time to sit and witness wills and medical powers of attorney; it is very time consuming and requires dedication and a level of sensitivity based on the subject matter all while providing positive customer support," Bovankovich said. "We miss her always bright and smiling face and positive outlook each day."

"I guess you can say it's my calling," Twiggs said. "Lending a helping hand."