The Sertoma Club of North Augusta is this year presenting its Service to Mankind Award for the 39th consecutive year. The Club began presenting award in 1973 and has presented such award annually from that year unto the present.

Over the years we have had 34 individual recipients, two couples who received the award and one group. In addition, one individual won the award on two occasions.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Knox (Katherine) were presented the award jointly in 1994. In 2006 Dr. and Mrs. John W. Thurmond, III (Beverly) were presented the award. In 1999, the Keenan O’Malia Public Safety Task Force was presented with the award for their service to the community for their solving of the case of murder of a young child, Keenan O’Malia.

The only two time winner was Dr. W. G. Watson, who in fact was the first receipt of the award in 1973 and then won the award for a second time in 1998 at the age of 88.

In the past year, three former recipients of the award passed away. Those individuals were Mim L. Woodring and Jim Buist, who were present at the Awards Banquet this past year. Also passing away was Dr. W. G. Watson, who was a regular attendee of the Banquets, but was unable to be present for the 2011 Banquet. 18 of the past winners are deceased. The loss of these individuals is certainly a huge loss to the community. However, their accomplishments and contributions to the community remain today.

This year’s recipient very easily has the qualifications as a result of his contributions to his community to stand with all the past winners. This year’s winner is a native North Augustan, having graduated from North Augusta High School in 1980. A portion of his service to the community has been in the field of public office. He was quite anxious to get involved in his community and ran for his first public office, the Aiken County School Board, at the age of 18.

Our recipient completed his education graduating from Wofford College with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1984. At that time he returned to North Augusta and went to work with his father in the family business and began his very active involvement in the community.

Our recipient was elected to the Aiken County Council shortly after returning from college and he served in that position for 19 years. He did not run for reelection when he moved from the council district that he previously served.

He currently is an active member at St. Paul’s Church where he has served as an usher, Sunday school teacher and a member of various committees including stewardship, building committee and clergy search committees. These responsibilities to the church are ongoing.

Our recipient has also served on the Boards of Trinity Hospital of Augusta, the Augusta Regional Transportation System and the North Augusta Arts and Heritage Council. He is currently serving the School Improvement Council at North Augusta High School and is a member of the Executive Board of North Augusta 2000. He has taught the Real Life 101 course at NAHS since the program was begun.

For many years our recipient has been actively involved as a volunteer coach with North Augusta Parks and Recreation having served as a baseball and softball coach for the past 11 years.

Currently, Eddie is serving as liaison from North Augusta 2000 to the North Augusta Greeneway Trust, an organization that has as its goal, assistance and improvement of the North Augusta Greeneway trails throughout the City. This organization is independent of the municipal government and works very closely with the Recreation Department. This is a natural for our recipient as one of the easiest ways to find him is to go to the Greeneway where you will observe him either biking or running.

This individual’s commitment to church, family and community is very evident based upon a review of his interest and activities. It is not a passing interest and now represents some 30+ years of dedication. We talked earlier this evening of the death of some of our previous winners and the great loss to the community as a result thereof. The good news is that there are those who step up and take the place of those we have lost, and tonight’s recipient has not only done that, but I anticipate that he is prepared to do that for many years in the future.

It is with much gratitude from the community and with great honor that we present the 2012 Service to Mankind Award to William E. “Eddie” Butler.