1995

want to study hard and do better in school " Looking forward is why her name not only is on many Ha bitat offi ci al contract r ecords, but al o on the minds of many with whom her life is shared. "She's one of those people who look s wi t h her heart, rather t h an her eyes," said Nancy Warner, a longtime friend wh o has worked side– by-side with Surles in Habitat projects, church r etreats and missionary t rips to Bolivia. "There's no end to h ow much she gives." On sever a l occasions sin ce 1988, the pair has traveled as p art of Central Un i t ed Methodist Church's mission– ary e ffort to Bolivia, where S u rl es serves as an inter– preter for a medical team dealing with a Spanish-speak– ing community. "When we go down there, it refocuses wha t's really neces– sary," Surles said. "You can begin to see how we could be getting by on such much less. Like for children with mental or ph-. "ical handicap" there. n ::.chool.s. enjce~ • o ~pec1 al "No ma tte r wha t her per – sonal or family situat ion, she has been able to go every time we have gone, " said Dr . Michael O'Neal, a Hatties– burg physician who travels with the Bolivia mi~sion. "She was pregnant on one trip, and th ey were buildin g a house and they went. She has been on every Mississippi t rip we've taken. " ... She's an exce ll ent translator . It's through her interpretation that the medi– cal team finds out the chil– dren's problems and gets the medical attention to these people they really need," O'Neal said. "She is a very strong leader a n d alwa ys shows real compassion for the people in a committed way." For these and other tireless efforts to enhance the life of children and young people everywhere, Surles has been named the recipient of the 1994 J u n ior Au xiliary Humanitarian Awar d. J unior Auxiliary is a n on-

When Mar ion Sur les noticed large holes in t h e water-drenched walls of t wo teen-agers' rooms, it recon-

frrmed her dedication to help Hab itat f o r Humanity c o mba t homeless– ness and u n f i t housi n g for th e young. "W e give fami–

lies with children precedence, because we feel like the new house makes an impact on their lives," said the longtime Habitat volunteer. "I remem– ber this one family and what they lived in before the move. The two oldest boys wer e sleeping in a basement of a rental, and there was no heat. Th re were biz cracks in the nd could How can they go to school and do thei r best when they've had a night like this?" she remembers asking h er self every t ime she has to work wi t h othe rs on a committee t hat must dwindle some 60 applications to one or two. on errbedE. "She doesn't get caught up in her own life and own prob– lems so much that she can't look beyond that and help other people.. . "

Katy Watkins

"We feel like a n ew home can really impact children's est eem," Surles said. "They