- April 18, 2024
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Ormond Beach resident Charlene Greer was named the winner of he NASCAR Foundation's 10th-annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian award on Thursday, Nov. 5.
Greer, a lifelong NASCAR fan and nine-year volunteer with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties, received the award and a $100,000 donation to her organization during a livestreamed celebration from the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America at the Daytona International Speedway. She was one of four finalists in the running for the award.
“This year’s finalists are all stand outs," said Mike Helton, chairman of The NASCAR Foundation, in a press release. "Their NASCAR spirit is behind the incredible work they do to improve the lives of children in our communities each and every day. What a year this has been and our fans rallied around this award like never before. We are very proud of all the finalists and particularly proud to present the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award to Charlene Greer, a very deserving recipient, to honor the work she’s doing in NASCAR’s hometown of Daytona Beach.”
The award is annually presented to a NASCAR fan who is an accomplished volunteer championing children's causes. The $100,000 donation as a result of Greer's win will help the Boys and Girls Club to transport its 1,400 children to the eight clubs after school.
Mr. and Mrs. John J. O’Connell and Megan N. O’Connell returned to Ormond Beach to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary at Rose Villa.
The couple met in May 2011 on Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach. They married in November 2019 at Amarula Estates in Ormond Beach. They are current residents of Edgewater.
Through the end of the year, the first 5,000 qualifying veterans will receive an entrance or charter fee waiver when joining a local Lions Club, according to an announcement.
Eligible veterans include retired U.S. military personnel or those who have been honorably discharged. The Lions Club is also extending fee waivers to the general public through December 2020. Call Ormond-by-the-Sea Lion Mary Yochum at 441-4421 or visit Lionsclubs.org
Ormond Beach resident Barbara Eaton Brown, known as "Angel" Brown, has received the "One Person Can Make a Difference" award for 2020 from Network 1:27, a national childcare association affiliated with churches of Christ, according to a press release.
Brown's service spans 60 years, most of it as a volunteer. She was also a foster parent and became the co-founder of Christian Homes for Children Inc., a nonprofit that donated and raised funds to construct homes in south Florida for families in need. Over a 40-year period, the organization aided over 1,300 children, 300 of whom were adopted by their foster parents.
Brown also provided seminal guidance for the creation of the Extra Mile Learning Center, which helped to reduce the school failure rate among foster children. Upon her retirement, Brown and her husband George have operated the Volusia Branch of Christian Homes for Children Inc. under the oversight of the elders at the Holly Hill Church of Christ.
The Moose Lodge recently raised $5,500 for breast cancer during the month of October.
Lodge members presented the funds to Cheryl Sullivan of the American Cancer Society on Nov. 2.
Food Brings Hope selected Halifax Urban Ministries as its business of the month for September.
It's an organization that has deep ties with FBH, according to a press release. FBH has partnered with HUM to provide weekly food bags to families with children participating in FBH school programs. Currently, HUM delivers over 350 food bags to schools each week.
In addition to the weekly food bags, HUM works with VCan2020 to assist homeless families with temporary housing and other resources provided at Hope Place.
The Ormond Beach Police Department began its Willy Wonka-themed scavenger hunt on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and each week, the department will release riddles on its Facebook page that will lead to a city park or building where a child can find a golden ticket.
OBPD will be doing this initiative for children under 15 years old until Dec. 1. Once a ticket is found, the child is invited to the police department to get a prize.
The first winner was Bobby Lewis, who found the golden ticket in the city's Magic Forest Playground. He was awarded a remote controlled monster truck. The second winners were Billy and Connor Fletcher, who found a golden ticket at Limitless Park. They were awarded Walmart gift cards.
