Muscogee County GaArchives Photo Place.....Allen Award ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 May 21, 2007, 3:35 pm Source: Sesquicentennial Supplement IV, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/allenawa13076gph.jpg Image file size: 165.3 Kb Allen Award Honors Civic Service By Liza Benham Ledger Staff Writer The first winner was a pediatrician and the most recent a bank officer. The two, and all others in those years from 1935 to 1978, have in common impressive records of service to community and cause. They’re the recipients of the Columbus, Jaycees' Distinguished Service Award, later called the J. R. Allen Award. Allen, the 1964 winner, was killed in an airplane crash during his term as Columbus mayor. Winners of the prestigious Outstanding Young Man of the Year Award are: 1935 - Dr. William of Copeland Cook, pediatrician, who "devoted his life to serving children" in such projects as establishing a health and nutrition clinic for the under -privileged at the Goodwill Center. He died in 1960 at 54. 1936 - Robert B. Eubanks who worked with the Columbus YMCA for 36 years, retiring as general secretary in 1963. Now 76, since retirement he's worked with the Columbus Senior Citizens' Committee, taught American history to immigrant wives at Fort Benning and been active in church work. 1937 - J. Gordon Young, attorney and three- term member of the Georgia General Assembly, was active with the Boy Scouts, Community Chest and Red Cross fund drives, and was a member of the charter commission of Columbus Consolidated Government and of the Columbus Museum of Arts and Crafts, now museum of Arts and Sciences. He died in 1972 at 60. 1938 - Dr. Walter W. Perrott Jr., optometrist, was active in the Muscogee Lions Club, church work, professional societies and was a director of Columbus Savings and Loan Association. He died in 1972 at 60. 1939 - A. Perry Gordy, 68, director of Columbus Area Vocational- Technical School, a former state senator and advertising and promotion manager of Wells Dairies, worked with United Way, Cerebral Palsy and the Boy Scouts. 1940 - Dr. Joseph Marion Binns, dentist, was one of the founders and a president of the Columbus Boys Club, was a statewide dental leader and vice president of' the Georgia Dental Association when he died in a boating accident in 1965. 1941 - J. Robert Elliott, U.S. District Court judge, is a former Georgia state representative. Is active in many civic groups and was state president of the Georgia Jaycees in 1941. 1942 - J. W. Woodruff Jr., president and general manager of the' Columbus Broadcasting Co., Inc. was well-known for his efforts in support of the military, and was national president of the Association of the U.S. Army when he died from injuries received in an automobile accident in 1976 at 62. He was prominent in many other community activities including work in land, water conservation and historic preservation. 1943 - B. F. Young Jr., 69, owns Southeastern Appraisal Co., and is past president of the Columbus Board of Realtors, the Jaycees and the Society of Real Estate Appraisers. He is active in the Red Cross and has been associated with the Chattahoochee Valley Natural History Club and the Girl Scouts. 1944 -- Thomas W. Starlin, 67, attorney, is a past president of the Columbus Lawyers Club and has worked with the Boys Club, the Infantile Paralysis Drive and was president of United Cerebral Palsy of Muscogee County, Ga., Inc. 1945 - C. R. (Billy) Morton, real estate and Insurance executive, was a president of the Columbus Boys Club and of the Jaycees and worked with the Red Cross and war fund drives. Also head of the Consolidated Community Chest, he died in 1952 at 42. 1946 - B. Ed Johnson, former Columbus mayor during whose tenure the Miss Georgia Pageant came to Columbus, was active with the state and local Jaycees and is associated with WRBL- TV and radio. 1947 - Ed Hennessy, 62, who was a realtor and radio executive and - chairman of the now defunct Peanut Bowl football game, has moved out of state. 1948 - Paul K. McKenney Jr., 60, lives in Orlando, Fla., where he retired in 1977 as chairman and chief executive officer of an electronic manufacturing company. He resigned as vice president and comptroller of Swift Manufacturing Co. in Columbus in 1961, going to Orlando the next year. In Columbus, he was a member of the board of directors of the G. Mote Williams Memorial Foundation and established two scholarships to - Georgia Tech for local boys. He also sat on boards of the YMCA, the Girl Scouts and headed the March of Dimes drive in 1947-48. 1949 - T. B. Buck Jr., 61, commercial real estate executive, was instrumental in rehabilitating Camp Juniper for use by the YMCA and other groups on camping trips. He also was on the board of directors of the YMCA and belonged to several other civic organizations. 1950 - J. C. Rowe, 57, real estate broker, when president of the Jaycees in 1950, formed two new clubs in the state, raised $400 to be used by the Boy Scouts and worked with the Business and Professional Women's Club to sponsor a driver training course. He also purchased a resuscitator for the old City Hospital and spearheaded a drive through which: 657 needy children in Muscogee County were given scrip to purchase clothes. 1951 - William A. Fort, attorney, was the first DSA winner to receive the award posthumously. He died in 1951 at age 31. He was chairman of the board of managers of the City Hospital, improved the standing of the hospital and its school of nursing, obtained new equipment and supplies and established new services. He also led the March of Dimes campaign for two years. 1952- Alvah H.Chapman Jr., 56, president of Knight-Ridder Newspapers, received the Outstanding Male Citizens award in Dade County, Fla., in 1969. While in Columbus, he was one of five Outstanding Young Men of the Year in Georgia in 1961. He was chairman of the first United Givers campaign in Columbus which raised $267,043, topping the goal by almost $30,000. At that time, it was the most money ever raised for charities and character-building projects in the community. 1953 - J. O. Hoover, 59, stockbroker, was one of the founders of the Empty Stocking Fund, was president of the Boys Club for two years, vice chairman of the Muscogee County Child Welfare Council, assistant director of the 1954 United Givers campaign and secretary of the Muscogee Mental Health Association. He also worked with the American Cancer Society and was chairman of the Open Door Community House fund drive, which raised $75,000 in 1952, and was a member of the Red Cross Disaster Committee. 1954 - Steve Knight, 55, attorney, former state senator, was one of five Outstanding Young Men of Georgia in 1954. He has worked with United Givers every year since its beginning and was campaign chairman in 1954, was on the board of the YMCA, the Girls Club (its first fund drive chairman), Boy Scouts, Georgia Heart Association and Columbus Tuberculosis Association. 1955 - William B. Turner, 55, business ,executive, was chairman of the recently organized Hoover Commission which he supervised and made recommendations on operations of the Boys clubs in Columbus. He was a Boys Club director, YMCA director, and fund drive director raising $550,000 to build a new YMCA. 1956 - Robert T. Davis Jr., textile executive and a former Columbus mayor and city commissioner, was active with the Red Cross, the Boys Club and United Givers. 1957 - John R. Kinnett Jr., 51, dairy executive, was active in United Givers, on the board of the YMCA and active in the Youth commission, the Boys Club, the PTA and other civic and professional organizations. 1958 -- J. Barnett Woodruff, 54, real estate developer helped organize the South Columbus Boys Club and his father donated the land on which the club was built. He was also on the board of the YMCA. 1959 - J. Randall Braswell, 51, retired soft drink executive, was chairman of the Key Man awards, Christmas Lights and Membership committees of the Jaycees and a group leader in the Youthcraft Candy Sale. He was also active in the Boys Club Christmas party, Warn Springs Visitation Committee, Teen-Age Road-E-O, March of Dimes Penny-a-Pound and Jaycee Finance Committee. 1960 - J. Foster Watkins, 40, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., is a professor and program chairman of the Administration and Planning Programs in the college of Education at the University of Alabama. A star athlete at Baker High School and at Georgia Tech, Watkins was active in the Junior Civitan Club, South Columbus Optimist Club and a Sunday School teacher. 1961 - B. Dayton Preston, 47, real estate executive, was active in the Miss Georgia Pageant, on the board of the Greater Little league in Columbus and later named president, and worked with local civil defense and the Columbus police auxiliary. 1962 - Larry Hecht, 50, business executive, now living in Atlanta, was 1953 chairman of the Miss Georgia Pageant, on the 1955 Distinguished Service Award Committee, the 1956 Community Fund Raising Committee and chairman of the District Organization and Extension Committee, Boy Scouts of America in 1954. 1963 - F. Clason Kyle, 48, Ledger-Enquirer Sesquicentennial editor and columnist, is on three national boards for historic preservation - the Victorian Society in America, the League of Historic American Theatres and the Historic House Association. In 1962, he made a series of 75 talks about Columbus history urging people to be aware of the city's past and to preserve it. He also is an originator of Festival Days as part of the Stay and See Georgia tourism promotion. 1964 - J. R. Allen was killed in a plane crash 1973 at the age of 42 during his term as Columbus mayor. The Jaycees renamed the Distinguished Service Award in tribute to him. 1965 - Dennis W. Calhoun, 44, savings and loan executive, was on the board of the South Columbus Boys Club, chairman of Group II of the 1965 United Givers campaign, on the organizational committee of the Exceptional Children's Hospital Organization, ticket chairman for the 1965 Scout-a-Rama, was chairman of the finance committee for the Girl Scout board and was a den dad for a Cub Scout pack. 1966 - Morton A. Harris, 44, attorney, is on the Board of Education of Muscogee County, formerly its vice president. He was charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Columbus and an officer of the Columbus Lodge of B'nal B'rith. He was an organizer of the Columbus Youth Council and the Miss Georgia Pageant, serving on the board of trustees, the executive committee and the legal council. 1967 - John Illges III, 43, stockbroker, and former Columbus city commissioner, was Republican precinct leader for his election district and on the Republican County Committee and was involved in many other civic activities. 1968 - L. Martelle Layfield Jr., 40, attorney, was a founder of the Legal Aid Society in Columbus, a director of the Musemont Fine Arts Camp and the Red Cross Board and was with the Springer Theatre. 1969 - William Nolan Murrah Jr., 43, business executive, now living in Atlanta, is a former Republican National Committeeman. He was also one of five outstanding young men in Georgia in 1970. 1970 - Bob D. Hydrick, 39, marketing and management executive, was elected mayor of Columbus in 1973 filling the unexpired term of J. R. Allen. In 1970 he was metro chairman of the local JOBs program, sponsored by the National Alliance of Businessmen. He worked with Columbus Youth Opportunity '70, the NAB-NCCJ Equal Employment Opportunity Project and United Givers, and was a Junior Achievement advisor. 1971 - James H. Blanchard, 36, banker and attorney, was the youngest bank president in Georgia when he was chosen Outstanding Young Man of the Year, and was a trustee of Columbus College and Brookstone School. 1972 - Dr. Robert L. Wright, 41, optometrist and Columbus city councilman, has been a member of the National Consumer Advisory Council, the Georgia Commission on Aging, Advisory Committee of the Small Business Administration, the Columbus Senior Citizens Center, the local chapter of the National Conference of Christian and Jews, was a founder and director of Interactions, Inc. and of a political consulting firm. 1973 - Maj. Gerald W. Sharpe, U.S. Army artillery officer, is on overseas assignment. He worked with Kiwanis International and the Teen Tavern of Columbus. He helped the Kiwanis Youth Shelter, a home for abandoned and runaway children, raise $4,000. 1974 - John E. Parrish ,Jr., 38, Insurance executive and former state representative, has been associated with the cancer crusade, cerebral palsy, the Lower Chattahoochee Planning and Development Commission and the PTA of two local elementary schools. 1975 - George E. Stanton: Ph.D. professor of biology at Columbus College, was president of the Metropolitan Environmental Association, the Columbus Audubon Society, the Georgia Conservancy (Columbus chapter), director of the Chattahoochee Valley Humane Society and the National Conference of Christians and Jews. 1976 - Richard M. Olnick, 36, business executive, has been associated with the Miss Georgia Pageant, was on the Mayor's Committee on Columbus Trade and Convention Center, with the Southern Open Golf tournament, and the local chapter of the Red Cross. 1977 - Samuel Franklin III, bank executive, has been active in the Kiwanis Club, the Columbus Boys Club, United Way and the Boy Scouts. Special Sesquicentennial Supplement IV Ledger-Enquirer, Sunday, May 7, 1978. Pg S-11. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/muscogee/photos/allenawa13076gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 14.5 Kb