2007 JEFFERSON AWARD WINNERS

The mission of the Jefferson Awards is to encourage and honor individuals for their achievements and contributions through public and community service.

Linda Edwards

Linda Edwards is a WSAV 2007 Jefferson Award recipient for her volunteer work rebuilding Mississippi communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina, through her role as Administrative Director of "Pickin' Up the Pieces" Relief Corps. Watch the Video

Linda watched as Hurricane Katrina devastated rural and underdeveloped coastal Mississippi. With her husband, she co-founded "Pickin' Up the Pieces" Relief Corps, an all-volunteer, non-profit relief agency. Their goal was to rebuild Pearlington and Hancock County, Mississippi, which was Hurricane Katrina's "Ground Zero."

Since September of 2005, Linda has organized and participated in 24 relief missions to Hancock County. With her direction, "Pickin' Up the Pieces" provided Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas gifts to students, staff and families of two Hancock County elementary schools in 2005 and 2006. Linda led trips to renovate and rebuild homes for several Hancock County families, and she assisted several families with securing rebuilding grants. "Pickin' Up the Pieces" has filtered more than $100,000 in contributions and in-kind donations to Hancock County.

Linda's leadership has given the Savannah community a unique opportunity to directly impact a sister community in great need while enriching her own community.

WHAT ARE THE JEFFERSON AWARDS?

The Jefferson Awards is a prestigious national recognition system honoring community and public service in America. The Jefferson Awards are presented on two levels: National and Local.

The mission of the Jefferson Awards is to encourage and honor individuals for their achievements and contributions through public and community service.

A local panel of judges select the winners. The local winners are "Unsung Heroes" - ordinary individuals who are performing extraordinary deeds - mostly without recognition.

From each community, the Jefferson Awards Board selects one local winner to come to Washington as part of our National Ceremonies in Washington DC in June. Over 60 US Senators present these winners their award. The Board of Selectors picks five of these to receive the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for "Outstanding Community Service Benefiting Local Communities." They stand side by side with the four other National Award Winners.

The Jefferson Awards Board of Selectors chooses the national winners. The Board is a 75-member prestigious group of leading Americans that includes: Senators Tom Daschle and Bill First, Laura Bush, Hank Aaron, Lesley Stahl, and Micheal Douglas.

The National Jefferson Awards honorees are a "Who's Who" of American history makers. They have included Barbara Bush, Rosalynn Carter, Colin Powell, Bob Hope and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O-Connor. Each year, one winner is selected in each of four categories:

Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official
Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen
Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged
Greatest Public Service by an Individual 35 Years or Under