COMMUNITY ASSET VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR HONOR BIGGEST THRILL OF SERVICE CAREER.

Byline: Sharon Cotal Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Agua Dulce resident Juanita Heinly has won so many awards over the years that she can't keep them all straight.

Some of the awards that stand out in her mind are the Antelope Valley's prestigious LULU award in 1958, Santa Clarita Woman of the Year in 1978 and the Zonta Club's Lifetime Community Service Award in 1996, just a few of the honors she has received for more than 40 years of service to the community.

``I have a huge box of scrolls - some of the most beautiful awards you've ever seen,'' said Heinly, seated in her office at the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation in Newhall, where she has worked for 32 years and still continues to work at age 79.

But her most recent award means more to her than all the others, Heinly said. She recently was honored with one of the county's Year 2000 Volunteer of the Year awards in recognition of her years of volunteer services to the county and the Santa Clarita Valley.

Heinly was nominated by Santa Clarita Mayor Jo Anne Darcy and county Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich for the award, which she considers her lifetime achievement award.

``I realize that a lot of the things that I've accomplished are in the past, but this award kind of brings it all together,'' Heinly said.

She counts among her past accomplishments the organization of the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging and her work in obtaining funds for construction of the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center.

She also is proud of being selected by former U.S. Rep. Barry Goldwater Jr. to attend the Senior Intern Conference in Washington, D.C., in 1982.

``That was a highlight of my life, that he would select me to go,'' Heinly said. ``When I checked into the hotel, the clerk said, 'Your eyes are sparkling.' I was so excited to be there.''

During her years of community service, Heinly has served in positions ranging from president, fund-raiser, youth chaperon, entertainer and board member to chief cook and bottle washer, according to close friend Darcy.

``Juanita has donated thousands and thousands of hours to the community for over 40 years, and she is still active in many organizations,'' said Darcy, who has known Heinly since 1970 and describes her as a ``dear friend and confidant.''

``That's what keeps her young, I think, all this activity,'' Darcy said.

Heinly agrees. She attributes her long life to staying active, sharing close friendships and the love and understanding of her family. Her husband, Hank, was a partner in her community service endeavors until his death in 1979, as were their daughters, Barbara and the late Beverly.

Among her many newspaper clippings, Heinly lovingly cherishes a faded, full-page feature from 1961 showing the Heinly family engaged in community service activities.

In addition to the awards and newspaper clippings Heinly has collected through the years, she said she has received something else for her work in the community.

``The satisfaction of knowing that perhaps I've helped in some way,'' she said. ``I just wish I could do a lot more.''

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: (color) A life of community service has kept Agua Dulce resident Juanita Heinly active. She recently received a Year 2000 Volunteer of the Year award.

Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News