Celebrating your Service

At Henrico County, we are proud of our vibrant and diverse workforce. Our employees share a sense of purpose as they serve our citizens and make a difference in their lives. One way that we celebrate our employees is to recognize their years of service to our County.

Employees celebrating their first anniversary receive a note from the County Manager thanking them for their service and an invitation to a small meet and greet reception where they can discuss how their first year has gone.

Employees celebrating five or more years of service are recognized with a Service Award. These awards are presented in five-year increments (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc.), and recipients receive a letter from the County Manager congratulating them on their years of service on the month of their anniversary. They are also given a certificate at our bi-annual Service Award Ceremonies typically held in February and September. Employees whose anniversaries fall between January and June are honored at the ceremony in September, and July through December anniversaries are recognized at the February ceremony the following year. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we have not been able to celebrate at an in-person ceremony since February 2020, but we are hopeful we will come back together soon.

Employees celebrating 35 years or more with the County are invited to a special breakfast in the County Manager’s Office. There, they can fellowship with him and he personally thanks them for all their years of service with Henrico County.

Each year, one employee is honored with a special award, named for Henrico’s longest-tenured (now retired) employee, Elvin R. Cosby. His years of service to the County were quite a testament to dedication, service, and work ethic. In his honor, we recognize at each service award ceremony the employee with the most longstanding total years of service that day — down to the exact year, month, and day — and present that employee with the Elvin R. Cosby Award. Since its inception, 12 employees have been recognized, five of whom still work with Henrico County. 

 We are proud of all of our employees and the culture of dedicated service we all share. We could not achieve the Henrico Way without all of you!

Shirley Carney receiving the Elvin R. Cosby Award in February 2019

 

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Celebrating Black History Month in Henrico

Henrico County Public Library (HCPL) is offering many opportunities for you to engage with Black History this February.  We would like to invite our fellow Henrico employees to join us at a lecture, film screening, book discussion, performance, or even a cooking or dance class as we explore Black history and culture. Visit henricolibrary.org/events for the full calendar with complete details and up-to-date listings.

“The Life and Legacy of Miss Virginia Estelle Randolph”

Sat., Feb. 5, at the Fairfield Library at 2:00 PM &

Sat., Feb. 12, at the Glen Allen Library at 2:00 PM

Biographer and filmmaker Elvatrice Belsches will take the audience on a multimedia journey amplifying the extraordinary contributions of Virginia E. Randolph in the areas of education, public health, and juvenile justice reform. Belsches is currently working on a documentary of Randolph’s legacy and is the recipient of a VA Humanities grant for her project.

“Black Film Festival”

Wednesdays in February at 2:00 PM, Libbie Mill Library

Featuring the following film screenings:

2/2 Akeelah and the Bee

2/9 Bad Boys for Life

2/16 Us

2/23 Soul

History in Focus: The Ragged Road of Reconstruction

Sat, Feb 19, 1-4pm at the Virginia Randolph Museum. Tours every 30 minutes.

After the American Civil War ended in 1865, localities around the country began to offer schooling to the public. What were these schools like? What curriculum did they cover? Where were the schools in Henrico County? Join us for a 30-minute, focused-history tour at the Virginia Randolph Museum. This program is recommended for participants 13 years or older. Information: [email protected]

“Soul of a Community”

Sat., Feb.19, at 2:00 PM (virtual)

The Valentine Museum in conjunction with Henrico County Public Libraries presents “Soul of a Community.” From early settlement and the rise of the domestic slave trade to business ownership and thriving communities, explore how Black Richmonders have redefined the River City and inspired a region and nation.

“Never Forgotten: The Legacy of a Historic Black Cemetery”

Tues., Feb. 22, at 6:30 PM, Libbie Mill Library

A presentation by Nathan Burrell, Deputy Director of Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, who assisted in recovering historic African-American gravestones along the Potomac River in Virginia. In the 1960’s, the headstones were removed from Columbia Harmony Cemetery in Washington, D.C., sold for scrap, then used as an erosion barrier on the banks of the Potomac River in Virginia. Recently, the headstones were rediscovered and this year several dozen were removed and placed in National Harmony Memorial Park in Maryland. Burrell will share the history of the cemetery, the stories of those who were buried, and how descendants have reconnected with their family’s lost memorials.

42 Film Screening”

Tues., Feb. 22, at 6:00 PM, Gayton Library

Commemorate African American History Month with a movie that honors a groundbreaking achievement in professional sports. Celebrate the accomplishments of Jackie Robinson and his joining the Brooklyn Dodgers by watching the movie 42, starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford, with us.

“The Organ Thieves: Author Talk by Chip Jones”

Thurs., Feb. 24, at 7:00 PM, Tuckahoe Library

Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist Chip Jones discusses his book The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South about the circumstances surrounding the death of Bruce Tucker a black man who, in 1968, went into Virginia’s top research hospital with a head injury, only to have his heart taken out of his body and put into the chest of a white businessman.

*This program has a tie-in to the “Tuckahoe Real Stories Book Discussion”. This discussion group will be reading The Organ Thieves, then discussing, and formulating questions for the author at their meeting on Tues. Feb. 15, at 7:00 PM at the Tuckahoe Library.

“An African Cultural Experience”

Sat., Feb. 26, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, Varina Library

The Varina Area Library in partnership with The Next Star Arts Program invites you to come get a taste of West African Culture. In celebration of Black History Month, this family event will feature a display of African artifacts, drum circle, storytime, Ghanaian dance instruction, a panel discussion, and so much more! You don’t want to miss this event!

“Bayou Soul: Regional Creole Cuisine”

Sat., Feb. 26 at 2:00 PM, Varina Area Library

Take a journey through the history of Creole Soul Food. Chef Charles Robinson, of Sunday Service Soul Food and Black Folk Food, is back to prepare a handful of Creole dishes, teach us their history, and show us what makes this cuisine so great. Bon Apetit!

Book discussions featuring titles by black authors in February

  • Libbie Mill LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion, Tues. Feb. 1, at 7:00 PM, Libbie Mill Library- 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell
  • Glen Allen Book Discussion, Thurs. Feb. 3, 7:00 PM, Glen Allen Library-The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
  • Savvy Sandston Book Discussion, Wed. Feb. 9, 7:00 PM, Sandston Library – Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
  • Tuckahoe Afternoon and Evening Fiction Discussion, Thurs. Feb. 10, at 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM, Tuckahoe Library- Home by Toni Morrison
  • Fairfield Black Authors Book Discussion, Tues. Feb.15, 7:00 PM, Fairfield Library- Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Crosby
  • Libbie Mill Afternoon and Evening Book Discussions, Tues. Feb 15 at 1:00 PM & 7:00 PM, Libbie Mill Library- Thick: and Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom
  • North Park Evening Book Discussion, Mon. Feb. 14, 7:00 PM, North Park Library-The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

We hope to see you at the library in February!

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Protect Your Heart

Every February we shine the spotlight on heart disease to raise awareness of our No. 1 health risk and empower everyone to take control of their health. You can help. Educate yourself and others. Celebrate the survivors in your life. And commit to making healthy lifestyle choices so you can live fierce–and live your best life.

Check out this PDF to learn heart-healthy practices like meditation and mindful eating, and for ten simple recipes.

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