The Tenn-Tom Chapter of the Red Cross held its 93rd annual report to the community on Tuesday night at the Hogarth Dining Hall at the Mississippi University for Women. Kenneth Hargett was presented with the Andy Morris Volunteer of the Year Award.
“I”m very humbled,” Hargett said. “I”m in a room full of more deserving people than me. This is one of the of the most competent chapters I”ve seen, and I”ve seen a lot.”
The Tenn-Tom Chapter began giving the Andy Morris Award to outside volunteers in 2002, which was the year Morris passed away in his late 30s after spending many years fighting leukemia.
“He was the ultimate volunteer,” Executive Director Becky Thomas said of Morris. “He loved the Red Cross. He was a disaster volunteer; he was on the board; he did it all. We wanted to do something in his honor.”
And now, the award has been given a ninth time to a volunteer who has exemplified Morris” attitude and work ethic.
”Thomas remembered one of many moments she was struck by Hargett”s selflessness. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, there was a cap on the number of gallons of gasoline general consumers could buy. The Red Cross, however, was allowed to purchase as much as it needed for its emergency personnel.
“Ken helped get some people (from out of town) some extra gas to help them go where they needed to go,” Thomas said.
Hargett, an agent at Alfa Insurance, has served on the board of directors for more than 10 years, and he spent five of those years as Chairman or Vice-Chairman. He also was a part of the nine-member Mississippi State Service Council for four years, and under his leadership, the jurisdiction of the Tenn-Tom chapter expanded from two counties to five. He has participated in numerous disaster relief efforts with the Red Cross, and has been called upon at all hours of the night to evaluate and report disaster damage across the area.
After a short business meeting, the Red Cross staff also presented several other awards to community members and businesses.
The following Disaster Volunteers were recognized: Ron Loveday, Joe Smith, Ruth Rast, Thornton Tarvin, Joe Redmond, Calvin Boswell, Fred Lee, and Nina Stephenson.
“I”ve volunteered with the Red Cross for 20 years in different places, and these folks are some of the most competent, efficient volunteers I have served with in my life,” said Stephenson, who commandeered the microphone to thank those who were thanking her.
The Medical Volunteer was Dr. Diego Velasco.
The Health and Safety Volunteers were Robert Hunter, Daniel Jimenez and Carole Summerall.
The following people were presented with Exceptional Volunteer Service awards: Ruth Rast, Pauline Redmond and Barbara Shull.
Service Appreciation awards were given to Patricia Parsons and Sharon Wise.
The Clara Barton Society Financial Contributors were recognized as the following: Eugenia Summer; Elizabeth Dice; Al Von Kohn; Stage Door, LLC; Robert and Kevin Voller; Leigh Mall Merchants Association; Hollis Foundation, Inc.; and BBB Foundation.
The Community Partnerships and Support awards were given to: Wesley United Methodist Church; City of Columbus; the boards of supervisors for Lowndes, Noxubee, Monroe and Clay counties; the United Ways of Lowndes, Monroe and Clay counties; YMCA of Columbus; Monroe County EMA; Columbus-Lowndes Emergency Management; WCBI-TV; The Commercial Dispatch; Citizens National Bank; Mississippi University for Women; and Aberdeen Fire Department.
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