Coffee County Pioneer, Spirit, Service Awards presented

The husband and wife team of Dan and Pat Presley, Coffee County Extension Coordinator Stan Windham and Christian Mission Executive Director Johnny Belcher were honored for outstanding community service at a Farm City Week ceremony Thursday.
The Presleys received the second Pioneer Award sponsored by the Enterprise Coffee Geneva Economic Development Corporation and presented to a person or persons who has shown dedicated and strong commitment to the county’s agriculture industry. In making the presentation. ECGEDC Administrative Assistant Eleanor Andress called the couple “strong leaders,” and said, “Their service and dedication is a flawless example of working together.”
Presley is a retired Coffee County agent-coordinator and has been instrumental in development of the Farm-City’s annual petting zoo for children and has served as cook at the annual banquet.
“His leadership efforts have helped develop a better understanding between the agriculture and non-agricultural communities,” Andress said. “He was recently elected to the Alabama 4-H Wall of Fame.”
Pat Presley is a retired teacher who has headed the Farm City Ladies Luncheon and works with the petting zoo.The Presleys serve on the county extension advisory council and Farm-City Committee. “Whatever Mr. Dan and Mrs. Pat do, they enjoy doing together,” Andress said. “They sometimes laugh and tell people that they come as a package deal.”
The Coffee County Commission unanimously selected Windham as the Spirit of Coffee County Award recipient, said Commission Chairman Jim Thompson. Windham has lived and worked in Coffee County for the last 21 years, and is serving currently as Coffee County Extension coordinator.
“When you think of Coffee County, you think of Stan,” Thompson said. “We’re blessed to have him in Coffee County.”
Belcher was chosen as recipient of Coffee County Farm City Service Award Thursday for his work “sharing the good news that is found in God’s word with the discouraged and broken hearted,” Presley said as he presented the award. Belcher founded The Christian Mission Centers in Enterprise in 1983 and now operates centers in Elba, Troy and Geneva. “Thousands of individuals and families have been served by the Christian Mission each year,” Presley said. “The centers provide food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, emergency transportation, emergency medication, emergency rent and mortgage assistance and emergency utility assistance.”
The awards were among those presented during ceremonies held in conjunction with the upcoming Farm-City Week. “The purpose of the week is to bring a better understanding between rural and urban people by increasing their knowledge and appreciation of each other as partners in progress,” said Bill McCreary, chairman of this year’s annual event. Farm-City Week is celebrated each year beginning on the Friday before Thanksgiving and ending the day after the holiday.