Submitted

SALISBURY — The Salisbury Lions held its 81st annual banquet on Feb. 21 to recognize the Salisbury/Rowan Person of the Year and the Lion of the Year. Club members welcomed past recipients, special guests and Lions from other clubs to celebrate the presentation of these prestigious awards.

The Person of the Year was recently retired WBTV news journalist, David Whisenant, who was presented by Kyna Grubb, 2022 Person of the Year.

Whisenant was recognized for not only his professional achievements, but also for his personal characteristics that have contributed significantly to the quality of life in our community. He has established a reputation for honesty, fairness, and commitment to the truth throughout his three plus decades of reporting. He is known for the way in which he brings to life meaningful stories that highlight the struggles and triumphs of our neighbors.

Having covered international stories, such as the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, national stories such as the funeral of Ronald Reagan, as well as local affairs, Whisenant has always demonstrated that he is the consummate professional. At a time in which much of the news focuses on the negative, Whisenant often reports on positive, uplifting stories that reflect well on our community. From a personal perspective, Whisenant has taken advantage of his platform to be a vocal advocate for suicide awareness and prevention. His legacy as both a journalist and a servant of this community inspires us and contribute greatly to the local quality of life.

The Lion of the Year is Sandy Fraser-Thomas, who was presented by 2022 Lion of the Year, Paul Hess.

Fraser-Thomas was a Lion for 10 years in Brooklyn. 

While there, she held positions of significant leadership within her club, the district and even the state level, receiving multiple awards at each level for her outstanding service. She even founded a new club and served as its inaugural president for two years. 

Two years ago, she moved to Salisbury, joined the Salisbury Club and has made an immediate impact within the club and beyond. She has been active in virtually every initiative undertaken by the club, participating in vision screenings, assisting with the blind/visually impaired fishing tournament at the Outer Banks, and as the leading salesperson in the entire district for raffle sales which support Camp Dogwood for the blind. Fraser-Thomas is the service chairperson for the club, and in that role has initiated several new projects since joining the club.  She spearheaded an effort to collect 500 pounds of plastic bags, which were submitted and exchanged for a Lions bench to be installed at the NC Transportation Museum.

Fraser-Thomas also initiated a project to collect plastic to be recycled and sold, with the proceeds going to an orphanage. Her most recent project is a Lions clean-up day at a municipal park in Salisbury. At the district level, Fraser-Thomas serves as Lions Club International Foundation Chairperson, and was recently elected to the position of Second Vice District Governor. In a very short time, Fraser-Thomas has made tremendous contributions to the Salisbury Club and the citizens they serve.