Brown County Humane Society wins Drucker Award of Distinction

A longtime tradition carried on in Brown County on April 20 as the Brown County Chamber of Commerce hosted its 2023 Drucker Awards dinner and awards banquet at Willow Event Center.

The annual Drucker Awards banquet is a chance to pay recognition to businesses, organizations, and individuals that have had positive impacts on their communities.

Winner of the Brown County Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award, sponsored by Duke Energy, was Woody Whittington, of Mt. Orab.

Volunteers make the magic happen in communities throughout Brown County, and Whittington works tirelessly to keep Brown County entertained.

Whittington is the coordinator of Mt. Orab Music in the Park, a concert series that runs through the summer and is free to the public, located at Lunsford Park (Mt. Orab Community Park) on South High Street in Mt. Orab.

“It’s a huge honor. Volunteer of the year? I didn’t even know they had an award for that,” said Whittington.

In addition to Mt. Orab Music in the Park, Whittington serves on Mt. Orab Village Council and volunteers for local projects such as the holiday food drive put on by the Mt. Orab Police Department.

“My actual job is to count the canned goods every year so we can try to beat the total number from last year. I guess you can call me a bean counter,” said Whittington.

Mt. Orab Music in the Park was the winner of the 2022 Brown County Chamber of Commerce “Best of Brown County” Live Music Award, a project Whittington was proud to have created with his longtime friend and former Mt. Orab mayor, the late Bruce Lunsford.

Mt. Orab Music in the Park started in 2010 and has continued to grow, providing free entertainment for thousands each year.

He also spends a great deal of time promoting locally owned businesses through social media.

“It’s been huge,” Whittington said of Mt. Orab Music in the Park’s growth over the years.

Receiving the Drucker Award of Distinction, sponsored by Paul Hall & Associates Insurance Agency, was the Brown County Humane Society. Accepting the award on behalf of the humane society was Brown County Humane Society Director Renee Bates.

“A small county shelter with a big heart,” is how the Brown County Humane Society describes itself, a no kill shelter since 2010 that provides top quality care for animals.

The Brown County Humane Society is primarily funded through the sale of dog tags, fundraisers, grants and donations.

Not only has it addressed the stray dog population in Brown County, but also the stray cat population through spay and neutering programs.

In 2019, the humane society completed significant renovations to the dog shelter in Georgetown, including epoxy floors, a new meet and greet room to introduce pets and potential owners, as well as additional outdoor play areas and kennels.

“Thank you for supporting us,” said Bates, thanking the Brown County community for its support. “We are just a small, rural shelter in Brown County, but we like to act like we’re a big shelter.”

Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award was the late Paul Hall II.

Paul Hall was born to Paul and Margie Hall, on July 7, 1957, in Foster, KY before he moved to Brown County later in life.

He was a strong supporter of local 4-H clubs and youth organizations. He could be seen at the Brown County Fair each year purchasing multiple animals during the Friday and Saturday junior fair auctions.

His support of 4-H goes back many years ago.

Hall was involved with Kentucky 4-H and went on to serve as President of Kentucky 4-H Teen Council and attend the University of Kentucky. After graduating, he married his sweetheart, Jill Conrad Hall, and went to work for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation for 10 years.

He opened an insurance agency in 1988 with Nationwide Insurance in Mt. Orab with only one employee. While receiving numerous awards over the years, the business now includes seven offices and nearly 40 employees.

He certainly had a passion for giving back to his community, especially the youth.

Hall was involved in a number of organizations and groups in Brown County and was chair of the Kentucky 4-H Foundation.

He was involved with the Brown County Republican Party (Chair), Brown County Board of Elections, Georgetown Church of Christ (Deacon), Brown County Jail Task Force (Chair), Southern State Community College (Chair), Brown County Junior Fair, Hospice of Hope Board and helped lead the Georgetown Church of Christ “God is Able” Campaign. Hall was so passionate about giving back that he even started the Paul Hall & Associates Foundation to help others.

Paul Hall passed away due to medical complications on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.

Accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by Courtney A. Worley for Brown County Municipal Court Judge) on Paul Hall’s behalf were his wife Jill Hall and their children.

His family was able to tell him he would be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award before his passing.

“On behalf of Paul, I want to thank you,” said Jill Hall.

“He was a family-man to his family, his work family, and his community family,” said Jill Hall. “He loved his community, he loved his county, and he loved his country; and he wanted to make it better.”

“He understood that the way to improve a community is to invest in its people, in its youth, and to give back. He was passionate about giving back, and hoped that he could pass that passion on to others to do the same thing,” Jill Hall added.

Receiving the Brown County Chamber of Commerce Spark Plug Award was Mark McCann for his service to the chamber.

Whether it’s repairs to the chamber building or preparing for and cleaning up after events, McCann has been there to assist the Brown County Chamber of Commerce in many ways.

“His influence can be felt throughout this organization,” Brown County Chamber of Commerce Chairperson, Beth Kress, said of McCann.