Two Marion Medallions presented

A community leader and an organization were recognized for their contributions and service to the people of the Pee Dee area at the 2016 Marion Medallion awards ceremony on Friday, Feb. 26 at the FMU Performing Arts Center.

Medallions were presented to Carlos Washington of Florence and the Manna House of Florence.

Washington, a former firefighter of 32 years, earned this recognition largely for his volunteer efforts with the Florence International Basketball Association, an organization developed by Washington 14 years ago to get youth involved in afterschool activities.

The Manna House, under the direction of Daphine Tedder, is a soup kitchen that provides a hot breakfast and lunch five days a week and also serves as an emergency food bank. The Manna House has been in operation since 1992 and has served countless people since that time.

The Marion Medallion is a five-year old award, sponsored and presented by FMU and the Morning News of Florence. Officials of the two organizations work in partnership in the selection of the recipients. It was first awarded in 2012, and is intended to be awarded in perpetuity.

The medallions are awarded on or about Feb. 27—Francis Marion Day — each year. The medallion is named for General Francis Marion, the revolutionary war leader who led Patriot forces in the Pee Dee Region, who is the namesake of FMU.

Previous recipients include:

* Kathy Baxley, executive director of the Darlington Free Medical Clinic and Henry Johnson and Hayward King, chief executives of the Lake City based W. Lee Flowers Company (2012)

* Former Florence Police Chief Ralph Porter, executive director and founder of CHOiCES Charter School and Bill and Olive Timberlake of Hartsville (2013)

* Florence pastors Henry Badie Jr. of Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ and Clyde Odom of King of Kings Church in Florence and Henry Brunson of Latta, founder of Cooks for Christ (2014)

* John and Vicki Kirby of Latta and the founders of Camp RAE, Paige Alexander and Deana Huggins Strickland of Florence (2015)

About the Medallion

The medallion award is an actual medallion. It is a gold plated bronze piece that weighs 2.5 pounds and is 6 inches in diameter. Francis Marion’s likeness is on one side. The recipient’s name is engraved on the reserve side.