Apache Junction woman gets most nominations Surprise Squad has ever seen

APACHE JUNCTION, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Many residents at the Golden Sun RV Park in Apache Junction were told 3TV was visiting them to do a story on some of the best RV parks in Arizona. But when word got out that the Arizona’s Family Surprise Squad would be celebrating one of the park’s most popular residents, they were more than happy to join in the festivities. They gathered at a nearby community park and waited for Bev to arrive. They shared stories about all the great things she does for their community -- everything from shopping for neighbors when they got sick to cutting people’s hair.

Bev thought she would be running some errands with her friends Peggy and Jorgina, but quickly realized that wasn’t the case when she saw everyone at the park.

“Surprise!” 3TV’s Javier Soto shouted with the crowd as he handed her a bouquet of flowers. “These are for you. We want to make you the belle of the ball because this is all about you. We are here for you today.”

“Thank you,” Bev smiled as she did a little curtsy for the crowd.

“You have an amazing group here, and they all came out to witness us giving you a big surprise because of the amazing things you do for the entire park,” Soto explained.

“They’re all our family. All together,” Bev said. They’re wonderful, and we’re all blessed to be together and share this lovely weather. God’s with us always.”

“I understand that you make everybody’s life easier,” Soto said. “Where does your good heart come from in wanting to help people?”

“From being a little kid,” she answered. “My favorite show was ‘Hazel,’ and I always wanted to be a maid and serve people. So, I think I was born as a servant, and that’s what I love.”

“I’m getting all these little stories about the cakes you make, the food you make, the soup, the bread.”

“I do love to cook; it’s a labor of love,” Bev said. “I like to create, and I like to share.”

“How long have you been at the park, and what makes it so special?” Soto asked.

“We’ve been here for 12 years, and it’s all these people that make it special because they all are warm and welcoming and like one big family.”

“Jorgina and I did this together,” Bev’s friend Peggy told Soto. She talked about how they went around the park asking people to write letters about what makes Bev so very special. They then mailed them in a batch to the Surprise Squad team.

“That’s probably the most nominations we’ve ever received for one person,” Soto told Peggy. “What does Bev mean to the park?”

“Love. Kindness. Helping. Everything,” Peggy answered.

“Everything,” Jorgina added. “She’s very good. She smiles all the time.”

Soto turned his attention back to Bev. “You can see an entire community loves you. You mean a lot to everybody, and the Surprise Squad, along with the Valley Toyota Dealers, we have a surprise for you. We’d like to give you this.” He handed her an envelope.

“I’m scared,” Bev laughed as she opened it. Then she gasped when she saw a certificate for $5,000 inside. “I can’t believe it.”

“Oh my,” Peggy exclaimed as the crowd erupted in applause.

“How will that help?” Soto asked.

“It’s going to be blessings that will flow out from me to others, you can be sure,” Bev answered. “Many, many blessings. So, I thank you all so much. We’re all here for each other, and that’s the reason we’re here. To love, cherish, honor, protect, all the good things.”

Editor’s note: “Hazel” is a TV comedy that aired from 1961 to 1966. Hazel, played by Shirley Booth, was the live-in maid and housekeeper for the Baxter family. “There was never a move lovable, or more loved, maid on television,” according to a review posted on IMDB. Booth won back-to-back Primetime Emmy Awards in 1962 and 1963.

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