When the Lafayette District School Board held its first meeting for the new school year it’s a given that Mayo resident Mitzi Hendrick was sitting in the board room, just as she has for the past 30 years.



“It’s what I do,” laughed Hendrick.



Then with a more serious look she went on to talk about her desire to be involved in the community that is home to her and her family.



Hendrick said she and her family have always been involved with the schools. Husband Lucian served two terms as the Quarterback Club President and Mitzi served two terms as Secretary and Treasurer. She and Lucian are alumni of the Lafayette FFA and each year at the Suwannee Valley Livestock Show and Sale they purchase a pig or steer.



They sponsored a Youth Football team for years with son Clark serving as the coach. Hendrick says although they are not actively involved as a sponsor and coach this year she still had the privilege of watching granddaughter Heidi play softball at the Little League games twice a week. “And, said Hendrick when football season comes around we will really be busy. We will have a J.V. football player and a Varsity football player (grandsons Blaine and Blake), so Thursday and Friday nights are going to be booked.”



As a school bus driver for 30 years with 25 of those years here in Lafayette County, Hendrick has unique opportunities to reach out and interact with students five days a week and occasionally on field trips and while driving them to sports events and band trips and……well as you can see Hendrick spends an unusual amount of time with Lafayette Counties young people.



I enjoy the time with them she said. And apparently the students enjoy the time with her as was evidenced by the cheers of approval from her students on the bus when Superintendent Fred Ward presented her the “2003 School Related Employee of the Year” award for the Lafayette School District this past school year.



When Hendrick is not driving the school bus she spends several days a week volunteering. Hendrick says she volunteers mostly for the first grade since her daughter-in-law Lisa teaches first grade. “And, I’m the “#1 Gopher” for all their school parties,” she said.



Another area of community involvement for Hendrick is serving on the Water Management Board, the Board of Directors for the Lafayette County Farm Bureau for about 30 years as well as representing the 3rd District on the Democratic Executive Committee for over 20 years.



Coming to the county from Fort Meade, Fl., the Hendrick family are farmers, raising cattle and operating a cow-calf operation at the Ace Ranch.



Hendrick says its always been a family endeavor with her sons Dean and Clark and now her grandchildren working together to grow watermelons and to harvest the hay from the additional 1000 acres the family leases.



Hendrick said she decided that her greatest talent is talking. She has the uncanny ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere and at anytime.



It’s a talent that has benefited a community since she doesn’t hesitate to ask the “hard questions” at a time when public schools and politics are at a pivotal point.



To Hendrick, it’s not a big deal…..it’s just what she’s done for the last 30 years or so and according to her she doesn’t plan to spend her days any differently for several years to come.