Who Should Be Cherokee's First Citizen?

The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce has opened the nomination period for its First Citizen award.

Applications for the prestigious nomination are available on the Chamber's website or at its office, located at 3605 Marietta Highway in Canton. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec.  9. 

The chamber will announced the 39th First Citizen award during its 43rd Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday Jan. 23, 2014, at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Conference Center. 

The honor is given to a person who has lived in Cherokee County for at least five years and has "shown significant meritorious service to his or her community through family, civic and/or religious involvement," the chamber said in a news release.

A panel made up of judges who live outside Cherokee will review applicants and will choose the winner. 

The 2014 First Citizen will join a list of those who've been chosen since Canton physician Dr. Grady Coker received the first honor in 1971. The awards were not presented between 1987 and 1991, but resumed in 1992 with the recognition of William "Bill" Wester. 

Past recipients include:

• 1971: Dr. Grady Coker
• 1972: Dr. J.R. Burgess
• 1973: Trammell Carmichael
• 1974: John Bennett
• 1975: Victoria Cox
• 1976: Martha Galt
• 1977: Col. A.J. Henderson
• 1978: Cecil Boling
• 1979: James Howard Bagwell
• 1980: William F. “Bill” Garrett
• 1981: Fred Haley
• 1982: Ralph Owen
• 1983: Dr. A. Evan Boddy
• 1984: Margaret Logan
• 1985: Carl Barrett
• 1986: Dr. William H. Nichols
• 1992: W.L. “Bill” Wester
• 1993: W.W. Denney
• 1994: Wally Fowler
• 1995: William G. Hasty, Sr.
• 1996: Sarah Buffington
• 1997: James Cannon
• 1998: E.O. McFather, Sr.
• 1999: Juanita Hughes
• 2000: Judge Marion T. Pope, Jr.
• 2001: Wendell Anderson
• 2002: Glenn Hubbard
• 2003: David F. Ogle, Sr.
• 2004: Donald F. Stevens
• 2005: Bill Teasley
• 2006: Dr. William Early
• 2007: Garland Pinholster
• 2008: Wade Buchanan
• 2009: Marguerite T. Cline
• 2010: Rev. Charles Davis
• 2011: Marge Grossman
• 2012: JoEllen Wilson
• 2013: Judge Frank C. Mills, III

For more information, contact the chamber at (770) 345-0400.