BURLINGTON, N.C. — In 2024, WFMY News 2 turns 75! It's our diamond anniversary! As we celebrate our diamond year, we want to take time to highlight diamonds in our community. We know there are people all over the Triad who make their communities shine! WFMY News 2 asked members of the public to nominate their diamonds and we received several worthy entries. But this month, the one that stood out was Brenda Glass.
THE NOMINATION
It is with great pleasure and high honor that we, the residents of Burlington Homes, recommend and nominate MS. BRENDA GLASS as one of the most wonderful and outstanding Diamonds in our Community. God gave Brenda Glass “caring hands” and she has put them to work each and every day making a difference for hundreds of senior citizens in our Burlington Homes Community. Ms. Brenda is one of the most giving and caring individuals in the Triad Community. BRENDA GLASS has taken it upon herself to use the gift which God gave her to assist and advocate for senior citizens who are blessed to live in her community.
One resident remembered the first time he met Brenda Glass. She was cleaning and sanitizing the carts which are located on all three floors of our building to help the residents more easily move items around. Thinking what a wonderful thing to be doing he asked her what her job title was. To his utter amazement she had no job title, she did not work for the complex and like him was a resident and she was doing it from pure love and devotion to her fellow seniors.
Later on he discovered that Ms. Brenda through her love and efforts helped in a major way to make Burlington Homes shine. There was no job too big or too small for her to tackle on behalf of the hundreds of persons who live in the Burlington Homes community. Ms. Brenda, a born leader, has worked as President of the Residents Counsel for several years. Brenda carries the Love of God with her wherever she goes. We have personally witnessed Ms. Brenda take and carry sick or older members of our community back and forth from doctors. When one senior man's legs were amputated I saw her in a store and thought she was just shopping like me. But she was there buying sweat pants and other pieces of clothing for the gentleman who had lost his legs. Over the years we watched her do any and everything for this man until the day he died. This is just one of the stories about her total faith in God and how she puts this faith to work each and every day.
No job is too big or too small for Ms. Brenda to undertake. Ms. Brenda represents the residents of Burlington Homes and in that capacity she has helped set up medical screenings which have included and provided Covid shots for those who needed them, blood pressure screening and monitoring, etc. She schedules holiday special activities such as Valentine dances, summertime socials and cook outs. Ms. Brenda is the connector between the residents and management. She knows every one who lives here and helps them each with any problem or concerns they may have or she directs them where to go. She not only says “I love the Lord” but she demonstrates it each and every day of her life. She exemplifies “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Ms. Brenda is loved and revered by all people, black, white, hispanic or asian. She dispenses meals each day for those who either can not prepare their own food or who do not have enough money to purchase sufficient foods. Ms. Brenda truly does the work of God right here on earth.
Brenda Glass decorates all three lobbies of our building with holiday appropriate decorations. For years she served as a principal member of our choir consisting of the residents. We all know that music is transcendental and blesses those who participate in it as well as those who hear it.
Brenda also helps to schedule other presentations of interest or help to the residents of Burlington Homes. Each and every day Brenda Glass inspires, helps, makes beautiful our environment and is the person that all residents go to for help and information.
Some of the outstanding qualities which make Brenda Glass a true living diamond is her integrity where she teaches by example. Her wisdom which she has garnered through both study and hands-on work, her courage to go and do what others would find too difficult to tackle, her vision which aids her in helping to see what things are needed in our community whether it be medical discussions by local experts or by the fire department letting residents know how to exit the building when we hear a fire signal. Brenda Glass is enthusiastic, when ever asked her how she is doing she says “fantastic” or marvelous or something equaling that.
It is a great pleasure and high honor nominating MS. BRENDA GLASS for the DIAMOND IN OUR COMMUNITY AWARD BY WFMY-TV. WFMY thank you so much for honoring this noble, humble and so well deserving member of our community and clearly one of the brightest Diamonds in our Triad community. Again, thank you so very much for honoring this extraordinary person of our community.
Residents of Burlington Homes
ABOUT BRENDA GLASS
"She inspires." "She's my backbone." "She's the most wonderful woman I've ever met in my whole life." Those are words from some of the residents of Burlington Homes about Brenda Glass. While she's a resident herself, she's constantly serving others. She says she gets it from her family. Glass said, "My mother, who was totally blind and a double amputee, still helped people even though she couldn't see. She had seven children and we would do the work for her. So I feel like God blessed me with caring, giving hands. So therefore I try to give like I saw my mother and my grandmother give."
Glass says her helpful outlook starts as soon as she wakes up. She said, "Always be positive. Always be positive. Wake up every morning praising God and willing to help somebody. I feel like I'm humbling myself and I'm doing what God allowed me to do. He ordered my steps."
Glass takes time to serve meals, decorate common spaces, and listen to others. She says her helping won't stop once she's gone! She said, "Even when I'm gone, I'm gonna help somebody. We have a program called Elon Anatomical. That's what you give the gift of life. I donated my body. My mother could never get a kidney. You know what? When I'm gone, I'm still helping somebody."
Glass encourages others to take action and help others as well. She said, "Don't talk that talk, walk that talk. Be that example for other people."
Another Burlington Homes resident said, "She is the heart of this whole building here and we wouldn't know what to do without her."
When talking about her excitement over being selected as the community diamond, Glass said, "You know, I feel like Miss North Carolina. Hey, you know what I'm saying, I'm already wearing my crown, but you know, my biggest diamond? Glory!"
For winning the September Community Diamond, Glass received:
-$100 gift certificate from Windsor Jewelers
-$75 Visa gift card
-Community Diamond recognition certificate
Other diamond goodies!
NOMINATE A DIAMOND
You can nominate people in your community as a Community Diamond! Fill out the nomination form below and tell us about people who are making a difference in your community! WFMY News 2 will choose one winner a month to spotlight in an on air story. The monthly winner will also receive a gift certificate to Windsor Jewelers and a Visa Gift Card so they can reward themselves or continue doing good in their community.
At the end of the year, each of the monthly winners will be entered into a grand prize drawing for a larger item from Windsor Jewelers.