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By Ron Fitzwater
Community leaders and volunteers of every stripe gathered together
in the Ashe County High School auditorium to be honored by the
leaders of the county for all of the many things they do to
help those in need.
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Before the ceremony, awardees and their guests were treated
to a light buffet of snacks and beverages and given some time
to mingle about and share a moment with old friends and even
make some new ones.
Maintaining the buffet and acting as ushers for folks entering
the auditorium were students from Ashe County High School's
Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program. Alert,
prompt and courteous, the cadets kept good order to the proceedings
and were significant to the smooth flow of events.
Also helping keep things moving along were the young ladies
from Queens for a Cause, who were in charge of greeting those
entering the auditorium and handing out programs and the very
impressive list of awardees. Across the hall from the Queens,
members of the Ashe County Volunteer Advisory Board handled
the duties of identifying, welcoming and name-tagging awardees
as they arrived and assisting them with any guidance they needed.
Following the social hour, awardees and guests took their seats
in the auditorium and settled in for an evening of appreciation.
Ashe County Manager Dan McMillan welcomed those gathered in
the auditorium, pointing out that the ceremony marked the 24th
time that Ashe County Commissioners had honored county volunteers.
"I wish that there was a full house tonight, but it is
hard to get folks together, when they are out volunteering someplace,"
McMillan said.
Joining McMillan as presenters were Commissioners Richard Blackburn,
Gerald Price and Gary Barber. Board chair Judy Porter Poe, who
had assisted earlier in setting up the event, took ill and was
unable to present. Commissioner Larry Rhodes was unable to attend
due to a scheduling conflict.
Fighting considerable knee pain, but there "for the volunteers,"
Blackburn led the crowd in an invocation, which was followed
by a resounding rendition of the National Anthem by young Madison
Osborne.
Next came the evening's entertainment, which consisted of three
very distinct dance numbers: presenting a traditional clogging
routine, supercharged by the music of Tina Turner's rock classic
Proud Mary, Kaitlyn Jordan wowed the crowd and got them ready
for Bobbie Jean Williams, Cari Carson and Amber Wilson, who
energized the audience with a salute to the music of the Blues
Brothers. In finale, Brittany Main presented the crowd with
a high energy clogging routine with a twist by adding in the
driving beat of techno-dance music.
With the entertainment portion concluded, commissioners presented
awards in several different categories including Business and
Industry, Church and Religious Organizations, Community Organizations,
Human Service, Seniors, Youth and Individuals. (For a complete
list of awardees. please see the sidebar.)
Along with certificates of appreciation from the county, volunteers
were presented with a commemorative glass clock engraved with
the county seal.
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