THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, January 14, 1997             TAG: 9701140211
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   41 lines

SUFFOLK WOMAN TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR YEARS OF SERVICE

Sarah J. Walden, a 63-year-old retired Virginia Tech extension agent, was named Monday to receive the Suffolk chapter of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce's 10th annual Athena Award.

Walden worked as an agent in Southampton County for 29 years. After taking an early retirement in 1991, she started a second career in Suffolk as coordinator for the local retired volunteer program through the Southeastern Virginia Area-Wide Model Program.

Catherine Brinkley, director of the Suffolk chamber, said it was Walden's community service in addition to her long and successful professional career that captured the award, which recognizes the ``highest level of professional accomplishment.''

In addition to her work with the extension and with the senior volunteers, Walden was recognized for organizing a program designed for older women at Paul D. Camp Community College called ``Women, Take Charge of Your Life by Taking Charge of Your Money.''

She is a longtime member of the NAACP, a member of the Suffolk Social Services Advisory Board and is on boards for The Children's Center, the Franklin-Southampton Chapter of the American Heart Association, the Western Tidewater Nutritional Council and the Western Tidewater Cardiovascular Advisory Group.

Walden, a graduate of Virginia State University with a master's degree from Virginia Tech, also belongs to the Suffolk Pilot Club, Mt. Sinai Baptist Church and the Virginia Association of Extension Agents.

Walden will be honored at the chamber's annual dinner Jan. 23 at the Suffolk National Guard Armory.

The Athena Award was founded by the Oldsmobile Corp. and is sponsored locally by Duke Cadillac and Oldsmobile. Suffolk and Chesapeake are the only local chambers that make the award. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JOHN H. SHEALLY II/The Virginian-Pilot

Retired extension agent Sarah Walden will receive the Athena Award

from the Suffolk chapter of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.