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CHARLES HUMPHREY
PARKS AND RECREATION
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Charles
Humphrey was selected as co-recipient of the Parks and Recreation
Department 2004 Employee of the Year Award.
Charles has been an outstanding employee for the City for over 32
years. He began his career as
a Recreation Leader at the
East
Little Rock
Community Center
. Currently serving as the War
Memorial Fitness Center Supervisor, he has been instrumental in making the
Center a model in the Southwest Region.
Since becoming the supervisor, the facility has received state,
local, and regional recognition.
Criteria
for selecting Employees of the Year include actions above and beyond the
normal call of duty. One
example of Charles’ going beyond the call of duty, happened in November
of 1976, when Charles was serving as South Little Rock Community Center
Director, located at 29th and
Main
. The community was
experiencing severe drug and crime related problems.
The Department was continually getting complaints about loitering
on the parking lot and vandalism of automobiles.
Late one evening, Charles was made aware of teenagers loitering on
the parking lot and he asked them to leave.
While doing so, he walked up on an individual doing damage to a
vehicle. This person shot
Charles in the abdomen with a pistol.
Charles wrestled the gun away and held him to the ground until
staff and police assistance arrived.
Charles
was the founder of recreation programs for people with disabilities in the
Parks and Recreation Department. He
was also instrumental in beginning the Regional Volleyball tournament.
Under the leadership of Charles Humphrey, the attendance at
War
Memorial
Fitness
Center
has grown from a few to over 173,000 per year.
Charles
is a graduate of
Horace
Mann
High School
in
Little Rock
. He graduated from
AM&N
College
and has a master degree in recreation from U of A Fayetteville.
He and his wife, Sheila, have four children.
He is a member of First Baptist Church of Highland Park.
He is a Mason and a Shriner. Charles
Humphrey is great role model on and off the job.
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Roosevelt Duncan III
PARKS AND RECREATION
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Roosevelt
Duncan III, a Parks Maintenance Worker was selected as co-recipient of
the Parks and Recreation Department Employee of the Year Award.
Roosevelt began his employment with
Little Rock
Parks
and Recreation in the late 1980s within the Landscape Division as a
part-time worker in a summer jobs program sponsored by a local service
agency. He was a very hard
worker and a quick study. He
was not afraid to try anything new or difficult.
When the program ended in 1987,
Roosevelt
remained on staff as a part-time worker hoping for a full-time position.
He began working full-time in February 1988.
Roosevelt
became known
for his punctuality, accountability, thoroughness, and artistic
abilities in maintaining detailed landscaped areas.
He was initially and temporarily assigned to
Riverfront
Park
, but was soon recognized for his abilities and reassigned to the Little
Rock Zoo. Zoo staff
witnessed the same near-perfect work ethic and dedication.
Beautiful Zoo landscapes were uncovered one area at a time
single-handedly by
Roosevelt
. When the Zoo became its
own department, Roosevelt returned to working in
Riverfront
Park
as well as the Terry House and the City Hall grounds.
If you
did not know Roosevelt Duncan III before reading this article, most
certainly you have eye witnessed his spotless parking areas, snow free
steps and “squeaky-clean” flower beds.
He is ever-present around City Hall and
Riverfront
Park
.
Roosevelt
is a man of example and little word but has been a faithful friend and
City servant over the past 16 years.
He and his wife, Shirley have two daughters.
He is an avid roller skater and spends his spare time with his
family and volunteering at church. As
always, one can expect the exceptional from Roosevelt Duncan.
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