NORFOLK, Va. - She's a non-stop volunteer and next month will be honored by the Armed Services YMCA for her giving spirit.
When Master Sergeant Shavodka Burton learned about the honor, "I was just like wow! really me? I just think I'm an ordinary person."
Ordinary is not the word that comes to mind, once you hear more about MSG Burton. The Fort Story soldier has been deployed twice to Iraq, and on a tour in Afghanistan; she's a single mom. Plus she serves on the PTA at Blair Middle School in Norfolk, where her daughter attends school. When her daughter was at Camp Allen Elementary, she volunteered there as well.
She also volunteers with her daughter's volleyball team. There's more, she helps out regularly with a missing person organization called Find My Beloved, which helps get the word out within the first 48 hours of a person's disappearance. So why is all this volunteer work so important to her? "Because you have to give back, you have to—- that's my purpose---that's my soul purpose on earth is just to be a blessing to others and just show love, kindness and care!"
And people around her recognize her giving spirit.
I read a letter from the wife of her battalion commander, "I have had the privilege of watching her in action. Her charisma is absolutely contagious. Her genuine love is felt among the entire battalion. Shavodka helped us prove that we are one big family now, by helping soldiers no matter how little the reasoning. She's helped us resolve barracks issues, assisted in resolving food issues, helps me put flyers out, picks up foods for events, made goodie bags for soldiers coming home on deployments. You just have to meet her one time to understand. She's a truly amazing woman."
The letter had MSG Burton wiping away tears, "I'm just so impressed like I didn't know she felt like that. We talk all the time I didn't know she felt like that. It's amazing like that's the first time I heard that."
For all the things MSG Burton is doing, News 3 presented her with an Everyday Hero award, along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank.
She was surprised and very thankful.
And now you likely wondering—how does she do it? "Lots of prayers. I pray to God every day for strength and I just make it happen, like---it has to happen."
