OneJax 2008 Humanitarian Award Honorees

Gold Medallion Honoree

Gertrude Peele, President & CEO of Carthage Chapel   Funeral Home, Inc. and community advocate, will be honored with the Gold Medallion, an infrequently bestowed award that recognizes those who have had an extraordinary impact on their communities over their lifetime. Mrs. Peele was the recipient of a Silver Medallion in 1995 and has continued working on behalf of the Northeast Florida community in an exceptional manner since then. Most recently, she founded the Read Educational Campus in the Magnolia Gardens area which offers a home-style, after-school academic program for at-risk girls in grades 3 through 5 and a full-time summer program. She has served on the boards of directors of many local and national organizations and is still active with the I. M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, The Children's Defense Fund, The Foster Care Review Board, the Florida and Jacksonville sections of the National Council of Negro Women, The Links, the Jacksonville Women's Network; the Florida Theatre and Theatergoers.

 

Silver Medallion Honoree

Michael J. Korn will receive the Silver Medallion award. Korn, a partner in the Korn and Zehmer law firm, has a long history of involvement and a record of leadership in the community. Mr. Korn currently serves as Chair of the Non-Profit Center of Northeast Florida; is the immediate past Chair of United Way of Northeast Florida's Board of Directors, continues to serve on United Way's Board of Trustees and Chairs United Way's Life: Act 2 Partnership Council which is dedicated to improving the quality of life for seniors in North Florida; has served as President of JCCI; Chair of the WJCT Public Broadcasting Advisory Board; on the Board of Directors of the Jacksonville Jewish Federation for many years in numerous capacities; and was a founding Board member of Youth Leadership Jacksonville.

 

President's Citation Honoree

OneJax has named Dr. James (Jim) N. Burt, as a President's Citation Honoree this year. Dr. Burt is the third individual ever to receive this award, intended to honor those who generously give back to the community after a lifetime of service. Dr. Burt is a retired urologist and a medical philanthropist, active in community affairs and professional advocacy for the medically underserved. Dr. Burt had the vision and led the planning, fundraising, site selection and construction of Jacksonville's Volunteers in Medicine clinic, which provides health care to the working uninsured in North Florida. Dr. Burt continues to lead the efforts at the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic by offering his medical services to those in need on a regular basis to those without the resources to otherwise receive such services.

 

Acosta-Rua Young Professionals Award

Deborah Pass will be honored with the Acosta-Rua Young Professionals Award. This award, also being presented for the third time, recognizes young professionals who are already making a significant impact on strengthening the community through their time, talent and treasure. Pass is president of ATS Group, a staffing and executive recruiting organization with 32 offices located in six states. She was one of the founders and has been the Board Chair of the Kesler Mentoring Connection since 1998, the most successful mentoring organization in Northeast Florida. She has served on the Boards of Directors of many nonprofits, including Hope Haven, United Way of Northeast Florida and Dignity U Wear and currently serves on the Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital.

 

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