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Roundtable Awards 3 For Service

D'Ann Lawrence White, Tribune photo

Friends Doug and Sue Lowary accept the Alice B. Tompkins Community Service Award on behalf of James Young from Ryan Odiorne, center.

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 4, 2008

RIVERVIEW - When it came to picking this year's recipient of the Alice B. Tompkins Community Service Award, Steven Saunders said the choice was obvious.

Each year, the Presidents' Roundtable of Greater Brandon, an umbrella organization made up of representatives of Brandon civic, community and charitable groups, hosts the annual public affairs dinner, inviting public officials to meet with residents and address issues of concern.

As part of the dinner, the roundtable presents the community service award, named for the editor of The Brandon News who died in 1974. First presented in 1975, the award is given to someone who duplicates Tompkins' outstanding longtime volunteer service to the community.

For the first time, the award not only went to three people, but also it was awarded posthumously.

Roundtable President Lee Elam said all three met the criteria for the award as longtime volunteers; in fact, all three were past honorary mayors of Brandon.

John Paton, Chris Scogin Snook and James Young died this year, within four months of one another. Paton died Jan. 29 at the age of 87; Snook died April 24 at the age of 80; and Young died April 25 at the age of 49.

Saunders, past president of the roundtable, said he could not think of three people more deserving of one of Brandon's biggest honors. He said it was tragic that the recipients could not be on hand at the dinner May 21 at the Winthrop Barn to accept the awards.

Doug Lowary, accepting the award on behalf of Young, said he knew his spirit was with them. In addition to serving as honorary mayor in 2005-06, Young was active in the roundtable, the Brandon Rotary '86 Club, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Brandon, the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Brandon Community Foundation, Nativity Catholic School's Novemberfest, the Campo Family YMCA, the Hillsborough County Republican Club and the Southeast Hillsborough Unit of the American Cancer Society.

Snook's husband, Walter, and daughter, Debi Haager, were moved by the gesture, noting how much Snook loved both Brandon and The Brandon News, a newspaper she founded in 1958. Snook, Brandon's honorary mayor in 1992-93, was a charter member of the Brandon Junior Woman's Club, which helped found the roundtable. She served on the board of Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association and chaired several patron parties, the center's annual benefit galas, and was active in the Southeast Hillsborough Unit of the American Cancer Society when the unit was formed 25 years ago.

Mary Paton, accepting the award on behalf of her husband, said he would have been proud. Paton, Brandon's honorary mayor in 1995-96, was active at Nativity Catholic Church where he was a member of the Nativity Friendship Club, a Nativity Food Pantry volunteer, the Nativity Men's Club, the Novemberfest and the Knights of Columbus Mother Seton Council 6724. Paton also was active with the Brandon Elks Lodge, the roundtable, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce.

Roundtable members are turning their attention toward preparing for the annual Fourth of July parade.

Groups wishing to participate in the parade can pick up entry forms at the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, 330 Pauls Drive, Brandon. The entry fee is $50 and must accompany the application. Checks should be made payable to Roundtable Charities of Greater Brandon, P.O. Box 1061, Brandon FL 33509. Applications and entry fees must be received by Friday at 5 p.m.

This year's parade, commemorating 50 years of Brandon Fourth of July celebrations, will begin at 10 a.m. July 4. For information, contact Laura Purse, (813) 661-4350 or Brandon.parade@yahoo.com.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524 or dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

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