2005/2006 Helen Dortch Longstreet Award Recepients Announced!

At the recent Longstreet Society seminar in Chattanooga, TN, one of the highlights of the weekend was the presentation of the Helen Dortch Longstreet Awards. Due to Hurricane Katrina, last years award was not presented, so the Society had the delight of presenting two this year.

The recipient for 2005 was Susan Herring. Longstreet Society President Richard Pilcher gave the following remarks at the ceremony:

The Helen Dortch Longstreet award winner for 2005...from the town of North East, PA...Susan Herring. Susan has been such a pest over the years, worrying me to death about what she could do. On the rare occations she could come to Gainesville she worked like a woman possessed helping Margie at the Piedmont Hotel. Then she volunteered to do the silent Auction and over the last several years she has raised, I guess, five or six thousand dollars for the Piedmont Hotel Project. Even this year when she couldn't chair the auction she still gathered at least a third of what you see here. She is a world class scavenger and I think she threatens to hurt people to get this stuff. A Longstreet partisan of the first rank and my dear friend...2005 Helen Dortch Longstreet award winner...Susan Herring.

The Helen Dortch Longstreet Award winner for 2006 was Joe Whitaker. Mr. Pilcher had the following to say about Joe's service to the memory of General Longstreet:

I expect most of you have had some contact with Joe, since he does most everything. As treasurer, he handles the finances and keeps tabs of dues and membership as you would expect, but then he does the other things you would not expect. He keeps up our collection of Longstreet artifacts. He has become our source of Longstreet and Piedmont Hotel photos. He does Longstreet programs where ever he is invited. He does the Longstreet Tour of Gainesville and the Piedmont Hotel. I guess he's done that tour a hundred times or more. He chaired the thrift sale lost year and he has manned the Longstreet Society table at numerous events. He and Bruce care for the gravesite and he has recently struck a deal with the cemetery superintendant where they will rip up all the grass and reseed. Recently Joe arranged to have all the gravestones in the Longstreet family plot cleaned. He is always ready when someone needs a speaker and he keeps us stocked up on Society brochures. Actually, with Joe around I sometimes wonder what I am supposed to do. Joe is always willing to do whatever the Society needs. Without a doubt he is a Longstreet partisan of the first rank and a man I am proud to call my friend.