By MIRANDA BAINES
THE DAILY SOUTHERNER
TARBORO —
The citizens nominated for the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) at this evening’s Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce DSA banquet provide a service to the community every single day.
Chamber President Bobbie Martin explained that this is the first year for the chamber to have presented a distinguished service award.
From 1985 until 2010, the chamber selected a “Citizen of the Year” from community nominations. In 2011, there was no annual meeting, and in 2012, the chamber honored its small and large businesses of the year.
A cocktail reception catered by Top of the Pines Catering will be held in the Mobley Atrium before the group moves into the Keihin Auditorium for the chamber’s annual meeting.
Following the business meeting, awards will be presented to members of the Edgecombe County Community — including EMS Personnel of the Year, Firefighter of the Year, Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and Young Educator of the Year as well as the Distinguished Service Award.
The DSA recipient was selected by a committee of community members.
Nominees for the EMS, firefighter and law enforcement awards came from department chiefs in the community, while the young educator — a teacher with less than three years’ experience — is nominated by school administration officials.
“They provide public service to us all year, 24 hours a day, so we want to let them know that they’re appreciated,” said Chamber President Bobbie Martin.
The first, second and third place award winners will receive engraved glass awards, while the runners-up will receive certificates.
“Every area was judged by experts in that particular area,” Martin said. “There was a lot of background work done to make sure they were done fairly.”
The banquet will begin at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $25 per person. To purchase tickets, call 823-7241.
The nominees are as follows:
E.M.S. Personnel of the Year Nominee – Chad Eason, Edgecombe County Rescue Squad
Firefighter of the Year Nominees– Lynn Adcock, West Edgecombe Volunteer Fire Department, Chris Andrews, Conetoe Volunteer Fire/ E.M.S. Department, and Stan Smith, South Edgecombe Volunteer Fire Department.
Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Nominees – Brandon Anderson, Tarboro Police Department, Michael Trevathan – Tarboro Police Department, Marquel Baker – Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Bryan Corey, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Jason Dawes – Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Donald Norville – Tarboro Police Department, Mike Robbins – Tarboro Police Department, Julie Worley – Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office.
Young Educator of the Year Nominees – Sarah Cavanaugh, Coker-Wimberly Elementary School, Rebecca Ehret, Edgecombe Community College, Sgt. Thomas Moore, North Edgecombe High School, Rachel Newbern, South Edgecombe Middle School, Alyssa Parrish, SouthWest Edgecombe High School, Brook Sykes, West Edgecombe Middle School.
The following people have received the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year Award
(* denotes deceased):
2012: No award presented
2011: No annual meeting
2010: Dr. Ed Conner
2009: Lena “Bill” Calvert
2008: Dr. Jim Winslow
2007: Joe Perry
2006: Dr. Steve Hoard*
2005: Joe and Bernice Pitt
2004: Joe Dickens
2003: Joel Bourne
2002: Lee Hall
2001: Dr. John Brooks
2000: Robert Barnhill Jr.
1999: Donna Cooper
1998: Rev. Robert E. Burns*
1997: Vines Cobb Jr.
1996: Russell B. Holderness
1995: Ruth Cherry
1994: Donald Morris
1993: Rev. Richard Joyner
1992: Meade Horne
1991: Herbert Taylor Jr.*
1990: Nancy Holderness*
1989: Mae W. Dawson*
1988: Betty Keel
1987: Charles Brantley Martin*
1986: Claudia Edwards
1985: Dr. Moses Ray*
*- Deceased
