On June 1st, 32-year union veteran, Kuyzendra A. Cobb was recognized with a Jefferson Award for her outstanding community service at Linden Hall in Dawson, PA. Entering the work force at a paper mill during a time when it was incredibly difficult to be a woman in that industry, Kuyzendra started out on the callboard. Kuyzendra was then selected to be an apprentice, and after five years, she became an electrical and instrument maintenance technician.
Not only has Kuyzendra’s extreme dedication allowed her to work up through the ranks at her company, but it also plays out in the goodwill she eagerly provides to others. She splits her time working with her church’s ministries, the Halifax County Branch of NAACP as well as the Halifax County Leadership Equity Project, volunteering and raising funds for the local American Cancer Society Relay for Life and participating in voter registration drives. She also now holds the office of Precinct Chief Judge.
A role that is very near and dear to her heart is being a North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL), allowing her to provide a voice for children in the state’s court system who have been neglected or abused. After reading in her local newspaper that GAL volunteers were needed, she immediately stepped up to begin training.
“I am single and have never had any children, so I was willing to devote my time to become a GAL,” Kuyzendra said.
Her duties involve performing independent investigations, making home and school visits, and submitting her findings to the judge. For her, it’s about keeping the child safe and, if at all possible, with their families.
And on top of all this community service, she also throws herself completely into the union. She currently serves as a trustee, shop steward, executive board member, co-chair of her local Women of Steel committee, and as a member of the North Carolina AFL-CIO Eastern Piedmont Central Labor Council and the Roanoke Valley Chapter of A. Philip Randolph Institute for the last 22 years.
To Kuyzendra, her philanthropy and dedication to the union serve a bigger purpose.
“Volunteering allows me to connect with my community and help to make it a better place to live,” Kuyzendra said.
Kuyzendra A. Cobb; Local 425 President, Wiliam Smith; District 9 Director, Daniel Flippo