Macie McQueen honored with Charles White Service Award

Macie McQueen

Macie McQueen

From staff reports and
Kimberly Harrington

ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Chamber of Commerce has announced the late Macie McQueen as the recipient of the Charles White Service Award.

The Charles White Service Award, named for the late Charles White, was established to honor a Richmond County resident who has recently passed who was in their time considered to be a civic-minded “unsung hero” — a person that contributes to the community by giving their time and energy freely and unselfishly.

Macie McQueen, a former member of the Richmond County Board of Education and wife of Dr. Fred McQueen, died Sunday, Nov. 23. She was 66. Chamber President Emily Tucker and Dr. John Stevenson, chairman of the selection committee, met with Dr. Fred McQueen Monday afternoon to notify him of the award.

McQueen most recently served as chairperson of the Richmond County Human Relations Council, but it was her work years ago with the Richmond County Branch of the NAACP Youth Council that allowed her to touch so many lives. In 1985, McQueen helped to lead local NAACP protests in getting the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday recognized within the Richmond County School District.

In the late 1980s, White called together some members of his Sunday School class, The Pairs and Spares Sunday School class of First Presbyterian Church and told them of a plan for Christmas time to buy a new pair of shoes for the underprivileged children of Richmond County. The year 2010 was the 23rd year that the “New Shoes for Christmas” project has been done by the Sunday school class.

Under White’s leadership, well over 12,000 pairs of shoes haven been bought and placed on the feet of deserving children throughout the County. About 800 children per year have been served for the past several years.

In 2001, White was attacked by leukemia. He never complained or sought sympathy from anyone. He went about living courageously and sought ways to help others. He was a strong advocate of Relay for Life and worked diligently to raise money to be used for cancer research.

Along with White himself, past award winners include Dr. Diane Honeycutt and the late Glenn Sumpter.

The family of the late Macie McQueen will be recognized along with the Richmond County Citizen of the Year, Sen. Gene McLaurin, during the Chamber’s 32nd annual Meeting and Recognition Night on Jan. 29 at Cole Auditorium. The event is open to the public. Advance tickets are on sale now the Chamber for $35 per person. The event will feature a business meeting and award presentations at 6:30 pm followed by heavy hors d’oeuvres, dessert, and entertainment.

For more information, call the chamber at 910-895-9058 or e-mail info@richmondcountychamber.com.

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