Deborah “Debbie” Swick has been awarded the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service—which is North Carolina’s highest volunteer honor—for her work as a volunteer for numerous organizations, including the Southern Shores Civic Association, Town of Southern Shores, Chicahauk Property Owners Association, Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.), Beach Food Pantry, Better Beaches OBX, Town of Kill Devil Hills Trash Attack, Dunes of Dare Garden Club, Outer Banks Woman’s Club, Mammal Stranding NPS, Outer Banks Seafood Festival, Outer Banks Anglers Club and Ban Balloons N.C.

Swick was nominated for the prestigious award by three individuals who are very familiar with her volunteer service to the community: fellow volunteer Lisa Minerich, fellow volunteer and friend Wanda Gail Sitterson, and friend and neighbor Latisa Head.   

The North Carolina Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service was implemented in 2006 and is held in conjunction with the North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards, which honor the spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups and businesses that make a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service.  

The prestigious North Carolina Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service is designed to recognize the top 20-25 volunteers within the entire state. Medallion Award recipients are nominated at the county level by each county’s designated award coordinator for the North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards, and only one Medallion Award nomination is permitted per county. 

According to the three individuals who submitted nomination forms, Swick’s dedication to giving back to the community she calls home is immeasurable, and she has made a significant and positive impact on Dare County residents and visitors through her volunteer service to numerous organizations.  

“Debbie has an industrious nature and an insatiable desire to give back to her community,” Latisa Head wrote in her nomination form. “She has dedicated countless hours to improve our community and environment.”

A significant portion of Swick’s volunteer service involves the ongoing beautification of her community—particularly through her work with the Southern Shores Civic Association (SSCA)  and Chicahauk Property Owners Association—to keep all areas clean and attractive for residents and visitors. Her efforts include adopting and frequently visiting an SSCA access, where she is often spotted sweeping sand off the sidewalks and beach crossovers to make it easier for everyone to get to the beach. 

“She works tirelessly to make sure public areas—beach crossovers, walkways, parks, playgrounds and picnic areas—are leaf and sand blown [and] made presentable for the use of the citizens and visitors of our community,” wrote Sitterson. “I personally think her commitment to this beautification is above and beyond anyone’s expectation. Debbie serves with joy and good faith so that all can enjoy our beautiful beach community.” 

Sitterson’s sentiments were echoed by Minerich, who stated, “Debbie goes out in the community multiple times per week to clean and make our community a beautiful place to live by sharing her special talents. A typical day for Debbie is to turtle sit for hours, clean and pick up trash at a beach access area, plant sea grass and then bake ‘Swickerdoodles’ for a local organization meeting. We are fortunate to have Debbie Swick living and volunteering in Dare County. She helps to make the beach a healthy and beautiful place to be!”

Described as being passionate about animals—particularly those that are endangered—Swick is heavily involved in volunteering with the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T). In this role, she is responsible for a variety of tasks that range from responding to reports of recently laid sea turtle nests and marking the nests for protection to recording critical information for research and identification purposes. 

In addition to these duties, Swick also “babysits ”sea turtle nests during the nesting season to protect them from being disturbed by beachgoers day and night—often arriving before dark to monitor a nest with other volunteers in order to ensure the hatchlings have the best chance of making it to the ocean—and provides important information about the nests to educate beachgoers. 

“She will educate those walking on the beach, she trains new volunteers, and she works diligently each night to set the boundaries of the nest and the ‘runway’ for the hatchlings,” wrote Sitterson. “Her energy and commitment do not waver. From late May and into October, Debbie serves joyfully from sunrise to sunset for these endangered sea creatures.” 

Swick’s passion for protecting marine life is also reflected in her volunteer service to Mammal Stranding NPS, where she is responsible for responding to calls of stranded mammals along the coastline and keeping them as calm and comfortable as possible while waiting for a marine biologist to arrive onsite and determine the best course of action.  

A staunch advocate for protecting the beautiful Outer Banks environment and its inhabitants, Swick has worked tirelessly to implement a ban on balloon releases due to the detrimental impacts that helium balloons can have on animals and marine life alike.   

After viewing a balloon release on a local news station and being astounded by the general public’s lack of understanding of the dangers these balloons pose for wildlife, Swick began contacting environmental groups of like-minded individuals throughout the state and attending events to educate people about the disastrous effects that balloons can have within the Dare County community and beyond.   

“Debbie attends events and speaks to groups to educate on the dire effect a helium balloon can have on not just our community but communities across the region, as balloons have been documented to travel more than 1,300 miles and can live in our environment for up to 100 years,” wrote Sitterson. 

In addition to littering the coastline and landing in the ocean—where they are frequently mistaken for food by aquatic creatures who can die from internal injury and starvation after the balloons are ingested—the ribbons attached to these balloons can also entangle whales, sharks, dolphins, pelicans and other creatures, often leading to injury or death. 

To combat these issues affecting wildlife, Swick has worked tirelessly to gather signatures for a ban on the release of helium balloons to present to the state of North Carolina in an effort to create new legislation to protect our environment. Those who would like to view the petition can do so by visiting change.org/banballoonreleasesnc. 

Swick’s volunteer service also involves her work with Better Beaches OBX, where she plants sea grass along the shoreline to help maintain the sand dunes and protect them from erosion. “This is back-breaking work that is often done in brutal heat or chilling winds,” wrote Sitterson. “Debbie serves with a servant’s heart.” 

Swick is also a member of the Dunes of Dare Garden Club, helping to plant a variety of native species within the community and performing periodic roadside trash pickups alongside her fellow garden club members. 

Beach Food Pantry:

In addition to being a strong advocate for marine life and the environment, Swick also cares deeply about the people in her community, having volunteered for years with the Beach Food Pantry, where she is dedicated to assisting individuals who are experiencing food insecurities by helping them gather their groceries during their visit.   

“Since Debbie is bilingual, her services are invaluable at the pantry,” wrote Sitterson. “She serves with kindness, respect, and love for those who are food insecure.”

Swick also volunteers in fundraising ventures to help the Beach Food Pantry achieve its financial goals. In 2023, she assisted at the pantry’s Chef’s Challenge event by attending the silent auction table, helping guests with their bids and answering their questions. “Debbie has a big heart, and she shares her love in all that she does,” wrote Sitterson.    

According to her nominators, Swick also assists with in several capacities that range from setup to cooking and cleanup for a variety of community events held by the Southern Shores Civic Association, Chicahauk Property Owners Association, Outer Banks Seafood Festival and Outer Banks Anglers Club, among others, and she is well known throughout the community for her unparalleled volunteer service.  

“Debbie is available and willing to help her town, civic organizations, volunteer organizations and neighbors in any way that she is able to make a difference,” wrote Sitterson. “She gives freely and cheerfully of her resources—and especially of her time. Our communities are a better place because of her commitment to a healthy environment and her care for individuals in need.”

Lee Goldman has been awarded a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for his work as volunteer for the Colington Volunteer Fire Department, local Toys for Tots donation drive and the annual Outer Banks 9/11 Memorial Walk. Goldman was nominated for the prestigious award by his friend and colleague, Bonnie Rowe.  

“Lee is a remarkable man. His volunteer experience started over 40 years ago and continues daily to serve his community with endless devotion,” Rowe wrote in her nomination form. “Lee volunteers his time selflessly to ensure the needs of not only Colington Volunteer Fire Department are met by seeking donations/grants to help acquire and keep current equipment in good working order; he also helps surrounding fire departments with the same.”

In addition to his service to the Colington Volunteer Fire Department, Goldman also plays a pivotal role in the annual Outer Banks 9/11 Memorial Walk, which he recently established within the Dare County community. 

“Lee had the vision and passion to establish the Outer Banks 9/11 Memorial Walk in 2022 to honor the lives lost that day and every day after,” wrote Rowe. “Lee orchestrates the event from beginning to end, including acquiring donations from local businesses to provide an opportunity for fellowship by all following the event. The event is well attended and enjoyed by our community.”

Rowe also highlighted Goldman’s volunteer work with the local Toys for Tots drive, writing, “Lee also choreographs the local Toys for Tots drive with relentless passion to ensure the children of Dare, Currituck and Camden counties have a nice Christmas. Lee seeks out opportunities to minimize expenses and maximize donations to support this worthy cause.”

As she concluded her nomination form recommending that Goldman receive a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award, Rowe noted, “Lee is the definition of a servant heart. His dedication to each and every cause he is involved in displays the deep passion he possesses to serve our community.”

Karen DeBellis has been awarded a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for her work as a volunteer for Interfaith Community Outreach and Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church. 

DeBellis was officially nominated for the prestigious award by Jenniffer Albanese, who serves as the executive director of Interfaith Community Outreach, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to individuals on the Outer Banks who are facing a temporary emergency or crisis.  

“Karen DeBellis is a volunteer who is dedicated to helping people facing a crisis and is a real-life superhero!” Albanese wrote in her nomination form. “I nominate Karen for the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award because she demonstrates exceptional dedication and compassion, and her impact on our community is truly recognized by this nomination.”

Albanese continued her nomination by highlighting the many different roles DeBellis has played in her service to Interfaith Community Outreach over the past eight years, which include serving as board chair, treasurer and chair of the finance committee, as well as providing data entry, disaster recovery and client outreach. 

“Karen helps wherever she is needed to get the job done,” wrote Albanese. “Her current role as the treasurer at Interfaith Community Outreach involves a lot of financial responsibility, annual budgets, monthly reports and preparing Interfaith Community Outreach tax return 990/audit and financial projections for the nonprofit’s well-being. Karen is a wonderful volunteer who selflessly dedicates her time and effort to helping others and is a positive impact on our community.” 

In addition to Albanese, Rev. Colin Snider, who serves as the lead pastor for Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church, also recommended that DeBellis receive a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award. 

“Karen gives her time, talent and expertise to Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church as our treasurer, and she does so free of charge,” wrote Rev. Snider. “Our church would not be able to make the difference in the community that we do without Karen’s help. Additionally, as part of our church we run a preschool that routinely ranks as ‘Best of the Beach,’ and Karen also helps to manage the preschool’s books as well. Karen is an example to all in our community of what ‘retirement’ can look like as she selflessly gives herself for the benefit of the Outer Banks community.”

Colette Mainardi Walker has been awarded a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for her work as a volunteer for Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church (KHUMC), Monarch Lighthouse Club of Currituck and Monarch Beach Club of Manteo. Walker was nominated for the prestigious award by Elaine Walls Reed, who is also a member of KHUMC.  

“Since 2016, Colette Mainardi Walker has organized and led activities for the local chapter of Monarch as a ministry at KHUMC,” Walls Reed wrote in her nomination form. “Monarch provides day programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It gives them an opportunity to foster creative expression and community engagement, and it encourages relationship development.” 

KHUMC has a long history of providing monthly activities—including luncheons, arts and crafts, and music participation—for Monarch Lighthouse Club of Currituck and seasonal activities for Monarch Beach Club of Manteo, and according to Walls Reed’s nomination form, Walker plays an integral role in orchestrating many of these events. 

“This year [2023], KHUMC hosted its seventh annual Monarch Thanksgiving dinner under Colette’s leadership,” she wrote. “More than 20 volunteers assisted in preparing food for 60 people and hosting the Lighthouse Club of Currituck, Beach Club of Manteo, their families and their caregivers. The joy when Santa Claus made a surprise entrance was genuine and contagious.”

Walls Reed also noted that, “Working with this population since 2019 in a volunteer capacity on behalf of KHUMC, Colette leads outreach and advocacy efforts for local group homes for adults living with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD). These group homes were hit especially hard by the [COVID-19] pandemic as residents were confined to the property for the duration. Colette’s volunteer leadership gave KHUMC members and their larger community the opportunity to provide Christmas gifts and dinner; to donate funds for a basketball hoop, outdoor furniture, board games, etc.; and to prepare dinner deliveries throughout the year. Colette’s tenacity in maintaining Monarch contact throughout the pandemic to this current time (while parenting daughters with ballet schooling and residencies throughout the Eastern Seaboard) has enabled her KHUMC volunteers to build years-long meaningful relationships with Monarch clients and their caregivers.”

Walls Reed also highlighted the positive responses exhibited by many Monarch clients thanks to Walker’s efforts and dedication to her volunteer service to members of the Monarch community. 

“When Monarch clients exit their transportation, they are excited and anxious to participate in activities. They hug and high-five the volunteers and infuse KHUMC’s Fellowship Hall with their positive energy,” she wrote. “Laughter, jokes, conversation and genuinely expressed appreciation accompany each activity and linger long after Monarch has left and volunteers begin to clear KHUMC's Fellowship Hall of the many tables, chairs and craft supplies left behind. Volunteers often state that they receive as much or more gratification as do the Monarch clients toward whom their efforts are directed.” 

Originally from the Washington D.C., region, and a graduate of Western Kentucky University, Walker initially began her career in international business consulting focused on Middle East policy, national security issues, intellectual property rights for generic pharmaceuticals and more. 

As she concluded the remarks within her nomination form, Walls Reed wrote, “After moving to the Outer Banks, N.C., 10 years ago with her husband, Chad, and three young daughters, she has enjoyed working in the local community, including outreach efforts to better the lives of those living in the Outer Banks as well as teaching ballet to local students. Her passion for the Monarch population is laudable and worthy of every accolade Dare County can bestow.”

Marvin “Fred” Parker has been awarded a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for his work as a volunteer for the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department. Parker was nominated for the prestigious award by Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department Chief William Walker. 

Parker has been a firefighter for over 50 years, having helped start the Wanchese Fire Department that later joined with the Manteo Fire Department in 1974 to form the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department. Over the years, Parker has held virtually every position in the fire department with the exception of chief and chaplain.

“He has given his time and dedication for over 50 years by helping the department any way he possibly can, from leading the crews into dangerous situations and ensuring they come out safely to helping train up the next generation of firefighters,”  Chief Walker wrote in his nomination form. “Last year, he was presented the Order of the Nozzle; this is an award that the department gives out as a symbol of lifetime achievement and dedication to helping protect and serve the community.”

Lisa Minerich has received a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for her work as a volunteer for the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center in Kill Devil Hills, local Meals on Wheels program and the Southern Shores Civic Association. Minerich was nominated for the prestigious award by Kelly Lambroff. 

“Lisa is a kind person with a huge heart for the seniors in our community. She is an occupational therapist by trade and she uses those skills to teach a weekly Improvement Through Movement Class at the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center,” Lambroff wrote in her nomination form. “She helps attendees with balance, flexibility and range of motion while sharing humor and overall care and concern for each participant's well-being. There have been as many as 20 or so people in the class, and some are original members from about six years ago!” 

Lambroff continued to praise Minerich’s ongoing efforts to serve her community, writing, “She also provides transportation to and from the class for one member who is unable to drive (and Lisa is known to check on members outside of class)! In addition, Lisa occasionally teaches her Improvement Through Movement Class at other locations in the community like the Kern Pitts Center and local churches so that she can help even more people!”

After noting Minerich’s dedication to teaching her Improvement Through Movement Class at multiple locations in Dare County, Lambroff also highlighted her volunteer service to Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers meals to homebound seniors in the community.  

“In addition to delivering a warm, well-balanced meal, it's an opportunity to check on and really brighten the day for some neighbors who don't get out often,” Lambroff wrote. “She inspired me to begin volunteering with Meals on Wheels too!”

Lambroff concluded her 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award nomination by sharing that Minerich’s volunteer service extends beyond her work with the seniors in Dare County and also includes service to the Town of Southern Shores and its beautiful beaches. 

“In addition to seniors, Lisa is also dedicated to protecting our beaches,” Lambroff wrote. “She volunteers with the Town of Southern Shores/Civic Association to help stabilize our shoreline by planting beach grass. I’m confident I’m missing something about Lisa's service to our community, but I didn't want to ask her details so that this nomination could be a surprise. She truly deserves the 2024 Governor's Volunteer Service Award as she makes such a positive impact on so many in our community. She sets an example for us all!”

Paul and Cathy Lesiewicz have each received a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for their work as volunteers for the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. The couple was nominated for the prestigious honor by Taylor McConnell, who serves as the aquarium’s volunteer supervisor.

“Paul and Cathy have been familiar faces at the aquarium for over 20 years. This dynamic duo, husband and wife team, have engaged with visitors at the touch pools for those 20 years,” McConnell wrote in her nomination form. “Cathy is known to be entertaining at the stingray touch pool, showing visitors that these animals are safe to touch and helping to build empathy towards our native animals. Paul can be found at the invertebrate touch pools embellishing the story [of] native shells to show visitors that shells were once a living animal.”

In addition to their volunteer service spent interacting with visitors at the aquarium’s touch pools, Paul and Cathy Lesiewicz also serve residents and visitors in the Dare County community through their assistance with a variety of unique events that are held at the facility throughout the year.  

“While touch pools have been their main source of volunteering, it is not their only source of volunteering,” wrote McConnell. “They often help out with sensory nights where we partner with Surfing for Autism, and they are well known for their costumes at previous Halloween events.”

McConnell also shared the personal impact that the couple has had on her since she first began volunteering at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, writing: “Throughout their 20 years, they have seen many volunteer coordinators change and conduct the program in many different ways. For me, when I started, they were extremely welcoming, asked if I needed the volunteer perspective, and guided me to better understand the volunteers of the Outer Banks.”

Susan Lee has been awarded a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for her work as a volunteer for the Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County (CYP). Lee was nominated for the prestigious award by Molly McGinnis, who serves as a family support services coordinator for the nonprofit organization based in Manteo. 

“In the Dare County community, Susan is a beacon of positivity and calm for children, youth, families and educators, and she continues to promote that positivity through her work with CYP as well as her other work throughout the community,” McGinnis wrote in her nomination form. 

Lee’s volunteer service to CYP began in October 2016, and since that time she has worked continuously to serve her community through CYP’s Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) as well as Be Resilient OBX, helping the organization work toward achieving its mission of helping children, youth and families thrive in Dare County.  

“Over the nearly 7.5 years Susan has been involved with CYP, she has dedicated her time to those in need and has shown commitment to mentoring and educating children, youth, families and educators in Dare County on brain development, resiliency, parenting strategies and so much more,” McGinnis wrote. “Since beginning her volunteer time with CYP in 2016, Susan has documented nearly 800 hours of volunteer service. Within this time, Susan has gone above and beyond working with the community.”

According to McGinnis, Lee plays an instrumental role in administering Triple P, an internationally recognized program that gives parents the skills they need to build strong family relationships, manage misbehavior and prevent problems from occurring in the first place. Through various seminars and discussion group workshops, Triple P practitioners are able to help parents successfully navigate their way through their parenting struggles. 

“Susan has volunteered her time consistently with Triple P since it was brought to Dare County, serving as a Triple P Accredited Practitioner and providing facilitation of the workshops, seminars and discussion groups provided for parents in Dare County free of charge,” McGinnis wrote. “Susan is the only trained practitioner in Dare County who is trained to provide assistance for families in all four levels of Triple P. In 2022 alone, Susan facilitated three seminars and one eight-week group workshop, committing 32 hours of her time to serving others.”

In addition to CYP’s Triple P program, Lee also spends a considerable amount of her time and energy providing volunteer service through her work with several task forces within the Dare County community that CYP partners with, including the Breaking Through Task Force, which was formed in 2016 by the Healthy Carolinians of the Outer Banks to address stigma and other barriers for those who seek help for mental health and substance use issues.

“CYP partners with multiple task forces within the community. In doing so, Susan has been serving on the Breaking Through Task Force since it was founded, representing Be Resilient OBX,” wrote McGinnis. “Attending monthly meetings and representing the Breaking Through Task Force at over a dozen community events, Susan has given her time to helping break the stigma and raise awareness of mental health and substance use issues.”

According to McGinnis, “With Susan, it is not as much about the amount of hours she has given as it is about her commitment to the causes she volunteers with.” When she began volunteering with CYP in 2016, she helped to create Be Resilient OBX, a movement in the community to teach individuals and groups about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and to promote resiliency in Dare County. Lee was trained in the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), which is designed to help adults and children learn to track their own nervous system in order to bring the body, mind and spirit back into greater balance and to encourage people to pass the skills along to family, friends and their wider community.

“Susan has committed herself to training the community in CRM, working with all ages down to kindergartners,” wrote McGinnis. “Susan has frequently visited kindergarten classrooms to help the children there understand how their brains work when they are experiencing stress and how to help manage that reaction. Thanks to a generous grant received for the past year, Susan was able to provide 11 CRM workshops in Dare County, committing over 250 hours of her time to this cause. While the grant allowed Susan to be compensated for those 250 hours, the grant was only received due to the work that Susan has done with Be Resilient OBX over the past 7 years, and her commitment to that cause should be recognized, regardless of compensation.”

As she concluded her nomination form, McGinnis touched on Lee’s dedication to improving the lives of Dare County citizens and continuing to make a positive impact on her community through her volunteer service.  

“Susan Lee is a name that is well-recognized and respected throughout the Dare County community,” she wrote. “As you can see, she has truly dedicated her life to trying to make it better. After spending 40 years in education, Susan has not slowed down in retirement. Spending most of her free time finding grants and volunteering her time to bettering the community, we cannot think of anyone more deserving of an award and recognition. In the words of one of our partners who works closely with Susan, “She is truly worth her weight in gold.”

Virginia “Ginny” Flowers has been awarded a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for her work as a volunteer for multiple local nonprofit organizations, including Dare Arts (formerly the Dare County Arts Council), the Town of Nags Head Arts and Culture Committee and Coastal Humane Society. Flowers was nominated for the prestigious award by Outer Banks Community Foundation President and CEO Chris Sawin, as well as her fellow volunteer Patricia Bourexis and her friend MaryAnn Toboz.

Dare Arts: 

“Ginny's impact on Dare Arts has been profound,” Sawin wrote in his nomination form. “Serving on our board of directors, fundraising executive and programs committees, she played a pivotal role in the renaissance of the organization since 2012. Ginny's dedication was instrumental in helping Dare Arts find new financial footing and reestablish connections with artists and business leaders throughout the Outer Banks.”

Sawin’s sentiments were also echoed by Toboz, who wrote the following in her nomination form: “Dare Arts has gone through a lot of change in the past five years; Ginny's service on the board has been a constant. She is a generous and dependable volunteer and a vocal and public supporter of music and arts events— and the arts in general—in our county.” 

In her nomination form, Bourexis noted that, despite being a busy businesswoman, Flowers has made time to serve on Dare Arts’ board of directors for 15 years, previously as president and currently as second vice president—although, according to Bourexis, “The council has asked her to serve as president again because of her leadership in bringing the arts to everyone on the Outer Banks. During Ginny’s leadership and board membership, the council has flourished both programmatically and financially.”

Coastal Humane Society: 

In addition to her volunteer service to Dare Arts, Flowers also dedicates her time and energy to serving on the board of directors for the Coastal Humane Society, a nonprofit organization that has served the Outer Banks for 27 years, providing pet food, low-cost spay and neuter services and vaccines, and also assisting with emergency veterinary costs for local families that may be unable to afford proper care for their pets. Since it was established in 1997, the all-volunteer 501(c)(3) charity has helped more than 10,000 pets and made it possible for countless families and individuals who are experiencing financial challenges to properly care for—and ultimately keep—their beloved pets.   

Cloud Nine:

Passionate about animals and promoting the arts, Flowers not only serves on Coastal Humane Society’s board of directors; she also regularly opens her retail store in Nags Head—Cloud Nine, a creative emporium that specializes in handmade jewelry, beads and local art—to host a variety of special events for the nonprofit organization, including pet food distributions, heartworm checks, and spay and neuter clinics, among others.

“More than just a retail outlet, Cloud Nine serves as a gathering place for hundreds of people on the Outer Banks, hosting community meetings and special events,” Sawin wrote. “Notably, Ginny has organized and hosted animal welfare events for the Coastal Humane Society, showcasing her commitment to both the arts and community service.”

Bourexis also highlighted the integral role that Cloud Nine plays in the lives of many individuals within the Dare County community who are in need of support and assistance for various reasons. 

“Ginny’s passion for the arts along with her talent as a jewelry designer and an advocate for local artists drives her volunteerism,” Bourexis wrote. “Ginny uses her shop and its popularity with visitors to launch the career of many local artists by showcasing their work. Yet the real beauty in Ginny’s volunteerism is her work with many of our local nonprofits: hands-on workshops making jewelry or other art with people who need an outlet for their anger, fear, depression or feelings of low self-worth. Ginny does this all the time, often closing her shop (even in high season), footing the bill, packing up her beads and jewelry-making supplies, and going where she believes she and art are needed.” 

In her nomination form, Bourexis also provided several specific examples of Flowers’ efforts to provide support and encouragement through jewelry-making, including:

• Engaging high school kids in Dare County’s Alternative School in macramé projects,  an endeavor which, according to Bourexis, the school’s principal said was “the first time I’ve seen these kids smile.”

• Teaching the women residing in the local Hotline shelter to make jewelry to wear as symbols of their strength in surviving their domestic violence situations.

• Enriching the lives of participants in the local Gentle Expert Memorycare (GEM) Adult Day Services program for residents with dementia and/or memory loss by sitting with them making jewelry and craft projects.

• Joining the Little Pink Houses in helping women battling breast cancer conquer their fears through making jewelry that symbolizes their strength and courage.

Town of Nags Head’s Arts and Culture Committee:

In addition to Coastal Humane Society and Dare Arts, Flowers has also made a significant impact on the Dare County community through her volunteer service with the Town of Nags Head’s Arts and Culture Committee. Currently serving her second three-year term on the committee, Flowers has provided key input and championed the importance of arts in the town’s many community improvements—particularly Dowdy Park, which serves thousands of residents and visitors each year and hosts numerous events ranging from farmers markets to summer concert series. 

“Ginny Flowers has been integral in promoting, encouraging and increasing support for the town’s artistic and cultural assets, as well as working to integrate arts and culture into community life,” Nags Head Town Event Coordinator Paige Griffin shared in Toboz’s nomination form recommending Flowers for a 2024 North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award. “She provides suggestions to the town staff to support public art projects, such as Art Mast Projects, farmers markets, cultural activities and music events. She has been involved in developing program change recommendations to the [Nags Head] Board of Commissioners to further the committee’s objectives of fostering artistic creativity and broadening the role of the arts in our community.”

From the Nags Head Arts and Culture Committee and Coastal Humane Society to her Cloud Nine retail shop and Dare Arts, Flowers—who was noted as being “legendary for her dedication to the entire nonprofit sector”—has made a significant impact on the lives of countless Dare County residents and visitors over the years through her volunteer service.  

“Ginny Flowers is undeniably a pillar of our community,” wrote Sawin. “Her unwavering dedication, leadership, and contributions have left an indelible mark on Dare Arts, the nonprofit sector and the Outer Banks at large. I am confident that recognizing Ginny with the Governor's Volunteer Service Award would not only be a well-deserved honor but also a testament to her outstanding commitment to community service.”