Taylors Receive 2008 Burrus Award for Community Service

Bob and Linda Taylor, this year’s alumni recipients of the 2008 Samuel B. Burrus Family Award for Community Service, are shining examples of community involvement and service.

After she graduated from pharmacy school in 1963, Linda and Bob, who graduated the year before, moved to Linda’s hometown of Crossnore to run her father’s drug store. Although they are now retired from Crossnore Drugs, Bob and Linda spent many years lending a compassionate ear and an intelligent response to the issues of community members.

Both Bob and Linda are very active in Crossnore Presbyterian Church, which has been Linda’s church since childhood. Bob, a talented musician, serves as the church organist and oversees fundraising efforts to build an addition to the church. Bob has also served on the board of Hospice of Avery County for almost twenty years. He has coordinated the organization’s fundraiser, a three-day golf tournament, for many years. According to one friend, keeping this small non-profit organization financially sound while providing the finest quality of care has been a major interest of his.

Linda has been described as a small woman with a large heart and keen intellect with a genuine appreciation of her heritage. She is a member of her local chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, through which she has supported the Crossnore School, a children’s home and school for neglected or abused children. For many years, Linda served as chair of the Avery County Board of Education. She also serves on the board of Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville.

Bob and Linda are also very dedicated to their alma mater, not only through their support of the School of Pharmacy but through their enthusiasm for UNC basketball as well. They have attended men’s basketball games for years, making a four-hour trip to and from Chapel Hill at all times of day and through all kinds of weather to watch the Tar Heels play.

The Samuel B. Burrus Award for Community Service is presented each year to two members of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy family – one current student and one alumnus or alumna or husband-and-wife team—who exhibit outstanding and unselfish civic, community or church volunteer service outside the scope of regular pharmacy practice. The award is given by the Burrus family in memory of Samuel B. Burrus, who was a community pharmacist in western North Carolina. Harry Marcelin (’08 PharmD) was the student recipient of the 2008 Burrus Award.

Brookins Receives 2007 Burrus Award for Community Service

George Brookins (’76 BSPhar) brings new meaning to the word “community pharmacist.” In addition to his work as an independent pharmacist in Lincolnton, North Carolina, Brookins has contributed to his community through the Boy Scouts, the YMCA, the Rotary Club, and Hospice, and more. Because of his commitment as an outstanding pharmacist and his dedication to community service, Brookins was named the 2007 alumnus recipient of the Samuel B. Burrus Family Award for Community Service.

As a pharmacist, Brookins has successfully promoted diabetes management, respiratory care, compounding, orthopedic care, and nutritional management. He also speaks in the community at health seminars and offers diabetes and cholesterol screening. In addition, he serves as a preceptor for the UNC School of Pharmacy and is a pharmacist consultant for the Lincoln County Health Department.

When not behind the counter, he is actively involved as a member of The First United Methodist Church of Lincolnton. He is the past district chairman for the Heartland District of Boy Scouts of America, and currently serves as a member of the Executive Board of Directors and the Friends of Scouting Board.

A strong proponent of Hospice, he has served as chairman of the board for Lincoln County’s Board of Directors for Hospice and was instrumental in the merger of Lincoln County Hospice with Mecklenburg County. He also serves on the Board of Managers of the Lincoln County YMCA.

As a member of the Lincolnton Rotary Club, he has served on numerous committees and in 2001 was recognized by the Club as Man of the Year for Lincoln County-- an honor bestowed to an individual who has contributed to the community through outstanding service, leadership, character, personal example, and dedication.

Even in the face of loss, Brookins has focused on helping others. When his only son, Jonathan, was killed in an automobile accident in 1998, he established an annual benefit golf tournament for the community called “A Day for Jonathan.” Proceeds from the event are used to fund college scholarships to deserving baseball players at each of the four Lincoln County high schools.

The Samuel B. Burrus Award for Community Service is presented each year to two members of the School of Pharmacy family – one current student and one alumnus or alumna – who exhibit outstanding and unselfish civic, community, or church volunteer service outside of the scope of regular pharmacy practice. The award is given by the Burrus family in memory of Samuel B. Burrus, who was a community pharmacist in western North Carolina. Katherine Heather McCall, a 2007 PharmD candidate, was the student recipient of the Burrus Award.

George Brookins, center, received the 2007 Samuel B. Burrus Award for
Community Service. Also pictured are, from left: Stephen Burrus and Blanche
Burrus Clark, members of the Burrus family; Brookins’ daughter Lauren, and
his wife, Sally (far right).

Nominations

One award is presented to a student currently enrolled in the School of Pharmacy. The second award is awarded to a School of Pharmacy alumnus/a or a husband and wife team, at least one of whom is a graduate of the School.

Recipients receive a monetary award,  a monetary award for their charity of choice, and a plaque noting their accomplishment. A permanent plaque to be displayed in the lobby of the School of Pharmacy will also list recipients on an annual basis.

Students may be nominated for this award by faculty, staff, or fellow students; alumni may be nominated by other alumni. The School of Pharmacy asks your help in nominating alumni and students for this award. If you know of someone who exhibits outstanding service to their community, and you would like to nominate them for this honor, please forward their name and supporting information to: Office of Advancement, UNC School of Pharmacy, CB#7296, Beard Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7360.