Thursday night at the 78th annual Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce banquet, local volunteer Marion Perry was presented the Citizen of the Year Award.

Perry said volunteering with Vance County Schools is one of the highlights of her life.  She said, “I pray that this County will continue to go forward.  I will do my best to do all that I can to influence the children to be examples that we can be proud of.”

Each year nominations are made and an anonymous selection committee chooses the recipient.  Last year’s 2014 Citizen of the Year, Danny Wright, introduced Perry.

Wright said Perry makes our community a better place to live, work, worship and play.  “The Citizen of the Year Award is an honor earned by an individual who has made significant contributions and demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of Henderson and Vance County,” he said.

This year’s award winner has been a positive influence for more than 20 years, with a special focus on support of public schools and young people.  “In a letter of praise, one of the many ardent supporters of our nominee writes that our recipient, who is adored by children and adults alike, inspires a delight in and love for learning, ” Wright said.

Perry said she was grateful.  “My passion is and always will be children.  I love them very much, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to help as many as I can.  I teach love, I show love, and I try my best to be a friend to mankind,” she said.

Perry also volunteers in local nursing homes and for such organizations as the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library, Area Christians Together in Service and The Arts Council.  Wright said a letter of recommendation described Perry as “a friendly, dedicated, trustworthy, caring, compassionate and kind person with a great sense of humor (and that) the nominee loves and respects others and is highly respected in the same manner.”

Perry has previously been chosen twice as the Vance County Schools Volunteer of the Year and presently serves as the  director on the Vance County Public Schools Foundation.

Perry said of the youngsters she helps, “They may not remember me, but they will remember what I did for them; there was a person who cared, who said, ‘I believe in you.'”

Perry founded and sponsors the Tokens of Love Program at Carver Elementary School, which covers a reading program for children, student and teacher incentives as well as the awarding of scholarships to several area high school students during class night.