NEWS

The Town of Davidson is pleased to announce the 2020 Jack Burney Recipient as Karen Houston. The award is named for G. Jackson Burney, who served the town in many capacities, primarily in planning and communications. Since 2004, it has honored Burney and those whose unselfish service benefits the Davidson community.

A life-long resident of Davidson, Karen has been a quiet, unsung hero of the community. She regularly volunteers at every election because she believes that it is so important that everyone be given the opportunity to vote. Karen continuously takes care of Davidson’s Police and Fire Departments by bringing food to our first responders, or celebrating their birthdays, or just letting them know that they are appreciated. She is always happy to volunteer for various tasks and was a tremendous asset this past year while assisting with helping residents at town vaccination events. Realizing the immense job at hand, Karen single handedly went street by street, door by door to personally register all those in her West Davidson neighborhood that were qualified to get a vaccine. She spent countless hours reaching out to all her contacts to get as many people vaccinated as possible. She is responsible for helping over 200 residents receive vaccinations, a true example of unselfish service to the community.

Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and how they impact the size of indoor gatherings, the town has selected Karen as the Grand Marshal for the 39^th Annual North Mecklenburg Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 4.

Previous award winners include Bernice Houston, William B. Mayhew, Baxter and John Fisher, Evelyn Carr, Annie Mildred Lowery, Scotty Nichols, John and Paula Kelton, Jane B. Ellithorpe, Ralph Quackenbush, Leland Park, Jean Jackson, Sterling Martin, Pam Maier, Connie and Eddie Beach, Leamon Brice, Garfield Carr, Bill Giduz, Tony Abbott, and Missy and John Kuykendall.

The Town of Davidson’s Jack Burney Community Service Award Committee is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Recipient. More information is available on our website at www.townofdavidson.org/burneyaward. Nomination forms are available online here. The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2021.

For more information, please contact Town Clerk Betsy Shores at 704-940-9614. For more information about the award, please visit www.townofdavidson.org/burneyaward.

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Located 20 miles north of Charlotte, N.C., Davidson is a small college town with engaged and active citizens who care deeply about their community. We believe in sustainable growth, substantial open space, racial and socioeconomic diversity, environmental stewardship and promoting the health and wellness of all of our citizens. We are the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2004 Smart Growth Award Winner for Overall Excellence in town planning and design, a 2011 recipient of a Centers for Disease Control Health Impact Assessment to Foster Community Design grant, and home to one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges. We are a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly town with a vibrant business district and a calendar full of community events, and we welcome residents and visitors alike.

For more about our town, visit www.townofdavidson.org. To sign up to receive information on town news and events, visit www.townofdavidson.org/eCrier. And remember – your information is safe with us. Senate Bill 182 ensures that, while local governments must provide copies of email distribution lists for public inspection, they do not have to provide copies of those lists to anyone under Public Records Law.