Staff report

The Suffolk Rotary Club is sponsoring the Suffolk First Citizen Award. The Club is now offering applications to nominate a person for this distinguished award.

Applications can be picked up at the following locations:

The Suffolk Visitor’s Center, 321 N. Main St.

BB&T Main Branch, 1525 N. Main St.

BB&T, 1512 Holland Road

BB&T, 101 E. Washington St.

The deadline for accepting applications is March 15. Mail applications to: The Suffolk Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1972, Suffolk, Va. 23439. This prestigious award recognizes individuals for exceptional service as Suffolk’s First Citizen in civic affairs and caring for the need of others.

The Suffolk Cosmopolitan Club began this annual tradition in 1956.

The Suffolk Rotary Club believes this prestigious honor is an important and meaningful part of the city of Suffolk. The Suffolk Club took over the award in 2003.

&uot;It’s a good way to recognize somebody who has done so much for the community and the city of Suffolk,&uot; said Club publicity chairman Everett Birdsong.

&uot;There’s a lot of good people out there and you wish you could give more than one a year, but this is just how it works. It’s an important project to have an opportunity to recognize individual who makes our city a better place to live.&uot;

The new Suffolk First Citizen will be honored at a banquet at 6 p.m. on April 26 in the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy cafeteria. Music will be provided by Walter Noona.

The Rotary Club is also asking for sponsors for the banquet.

The sponsorship levels are Bronze, $50; Silver, $100; Gold, $250; Platinum, $500 (includes four tickets for the event), and Diamond (eight tickets for the event).

All sponsorship proceeds go to the Suffolk Rotary Club Charity Fund and are tax deductible.

For more information, contact Scott Carr at 923-1138 or Birdsong at 539-3456.

Sue Felton Woodward won the award last year.

2003 – E. Dana Dickens, III

1998 – Durrell V. Mills

1997 – Jack W. Nurney, Jr.

1996 – George Y. Birdsong

1995 – Al & Georgia Saunders

1994 – J. Samuel Glasscock

1993 – Rev. Melvin R. Boone

1992 – Robert B. Gillette

1991 – Dr. Philip R. Thomas

1990 – Sanford B. Chapman

1989 – Oliver K. Hobbs

1988 – William J. Spain

1987 – Dr. George H. Barnett

1986 – William E.Ashley

1985 – Joseph H. Barlow

1984 – Howard D. Mast

1983 – Dr. Margarite W. Reid

1982 – Andrew B. Damiani

1981 – S. B. &uot;Bert&uot; Hazelwood

1980 – Arthur E Jones

1979 – Edwin C. Ferguson, Jr.

1978 – Ted J. LoCasio

1977 – Robert H. Williams

1976 – Robert W. Hundley

1975 – Laura H. Elmore

1974 – William F. Davis

1973 – Dr. Robert B. Marr

1972 – James F. Hope

1971 – James E. Ames

1970 – Muscoe Garnett

1969 – Major T. Benton

1968 – C. M. Flintoff

1967 – Dr. Murray Kantor

1966 – W. G. Saunders, Jr.

1965 – Hunter M. Haynes

1964 – Dr. Edward C. Joyner

1963 – Richard M. Williams

1962 – William R. Savage, Jr

1961 – Vernon G. Eberwine

1960 – W. P. Griffin

1959 – Mills E. Godwin, Jr.

1958 – Henry M. Pinner

1957 – T. H. Birdsong, Jr.

1956 – R. L. Woodard, Jr.