Good For You

Three honored at Governor's Volunteer Stars Awards

Kristen Edgeworth, Valerie Burke and Jamie Wright were named Hamilton County's winners at the seventh annual Governor's Volunteer Stars Awards in Franklin, Tenn. The program, organized by Volunteer Tennessee, recognizes Tennesseans for outstanding community service.

Edgeworth, 15, was honored in the youth division for countless hours providing programs and services to adults with special needs at Signal Centers.

Valerie and Jamie, who have volunteered as a team at Erlanger hospital since 2007, were winners in the Adult division. Burke, born with spina bifida, is in a wheelchair; Wright is her caregiver. Together, they greet patients and provide information to hospital visitors. Both have accumulated more than 5,000 lifetime volunteer service hours.

Shirer selected to honor band

Alec Shirer, a junior percussion player at Cleveland High School, was selected from applicants across the nation to play in Music for All's 2015 Honor Band of America, held March 11-14 in Indianapolis, Ind. He is the son of Woody and Julie Shirer. A member of the Cleveland High School marching, concert and jazz bands, Alec has been chosen for All-State Blue Band for three consecutive years, and each year was designated one of the top three percussionists in East Tennessee. In 2014, he was the band's top percussionist. He also plays piano and was selected for the All-East Jazz Clinic as top pianist in East Tennessee.

Simmons will command Georgia Air National Guard

Col. Jesse Simmons, an alumnus of Hixson High School, assumed command of the Georgia Air National Guard on March 7. A special ceremony began with the promotion of Simmons to the flag officer rank of Brigadier General. Then Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Moore relinquished his command of the Georgia Air National Guard to Simmons.

Oak Hill director receives award

Tim Brown, director of Oak Hill and The Martha Berry Museum in Rome, Ga., was recently honored by The Garden Club of Georgia with the Seal of Honor. The award is given to one person each year who has contributed to the overall success of gardens in the state. Since 2012, Oak Hill has received two grants from the garden club to help with historic landscaping and to start clearing the hillside behind the house. The Oak Hill gardens were featured in "Garden History of Georgia 1733-1933."

Scholarship recipients

* Joseph Cox of Soddy-Daisy is one of 27 incoming freshmen at the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, N.D., to receive a Presidential Scholarship. He will receive a $10,000 award.

* Troy University has named two local students recipients of Foundation Scholarships: Jessica Biederman, who received the Carmike Cinemas Employee Development Scholarship; and Trevis Binder, who received the James W. Gaylard III Scholarship.

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