TALLADEGA — The Greater Talladega Area Chamber of Commerce recognized the efforts of two area volunteers Friday night at its annual banquet at Gallerena Skate Center.Susan Gaskin and Linwood French tied for the chamber’s 2005 Volunteer of the Year award.
Gaskin was awarded for her work organizing a volunteer effort to build a playground at Hal Henderson Elementary School. More than 250 volunteers helped construct the playground in one day.
Talladega City Schools Superintendent Lee Messer presented Gaskin the award. Messer lauded Gaskin’s efforts for coordinating everything with the project, from rounding up volunteers to securing building materials.
Gaskin thanked Messer and the volunteers who helped with the project.
"I am so appreciative," she said. "I wish I could break (the award) off and share it with everybody."
French was recognized for his efforts coordinating relief efforts accommodating the influx of evacuees in the area following Hurricane Katrina.
Terry Graham, president of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, presented the award to French, who retired from AIDB after 27 years at the Helen Keller School.
"Following Hurricane Katrina, Linwood stepped up to the plate and became the volunteer relief response coordinator," Graham said. "He put together a facility so all agencies could come together in one location and offer evacuees what they needed."
Graham also praised French’s initiative to assist with cleanup efforts in south Mississippi.
"He’s got that roll-up-your-sleeves, do-what-you-have-to kind of attitude," Graham said. "Helen Keller once said, ‘I will not just live my life; I will invest my life,’ and Linwood invests his life. He was looking for opportunities for volunteer work following Katrina."
French thanked Mayor Brian York and the City Council for allowing him to coordinate assistance efforts, and for the city’s residents who helped evacuees.
Chamber President Martha Jordan also presented a gift to outgoing President Clarence Haynes for his past year of work with the chamber.
The event was catered by The Shack and featured entertainment by Pastime.
