Faces of Newton County 2015 | Page 6

6 l Faces of Newton County 2015 The Covington News Robert H. STANSFIELD Stansfield more than just volunteer of the year R obert H. Stansfield earned a big honor in 2014, as the YMCA of metro Atlanta named the Covington attorney the volunteer of the year. The award may have been prestigious but the service was old hat for the 20-year resident of Covington. Stansfield began as a Y volunteer in 2007, helping out with soccer and using the gym as a member. Now he serves as vice chair of the Covington Y’s advisory board, helping, among other causes, raise money for Why It Matters annual giving campaign and community groups for service work days at the Y. Stansfield also has served on the Newton Education Foundation as chair, and on the Newton County Arts Association Board of Directors, where he was the chair. The service to Newton County doesn’t stop there as Stansfield has been a Kiwanis Club of Covington member for 19 years. “My mom was always an active volunteer, and I went through the scouting program, and service work has always been a part of that,” Stansfield said. “That attitude or philosophy of giving back to the community is something I was brought up with.” Stansfield, raised in Kansas City and Savannah, would grow up to earn the Eagle Scout ranking, and then graduated from law school at Emory University. He began practicing law outside of Newton County until his wife, Pat, took a teaching job here and Bob Stansfield decided to open his own practice in Covington. He ran the practice own his own for about eight years, before merging with Frank Turner and Dan Greer to form Greer Stansfield and Turner, located at 1118 Conyers Street SW. A large part of his practice is business and contract litigation; though Stansfield does do some work with business transactions. His partner, Frank Turner, also serves as assistant city attorney for the city of Covington, expanding the practice’s service. “Giving back to the community is an attitude and philosophy which I was raised with through my family, scouting and also my church,” Stansfield said. “I tried to live those values, both professionally and outside my profession.” He is also careful to keep his service to two or three organizations at a time in order to provide quality help to the organizations which need it. The reason he can provide the service, isn’t just because of his experience in the scouts and serving others as a young person, but also because of Pat. While Stansfield is busy serving his community after long days of work, Pat has helped raise their daughter, now in college, and provide education for Newton County students, until her recent retirement. “I would not be able to do any of the things I do in the community without the support of my wife,” Stansfield said. “Every hour I’m out of the office and not doing time at an organization I’m not doing my home and family duties.” HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH We Salute and Congratulate the 2015 Faces of Newton County. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Thank you for your service and commitment to our community! Newton County Sheriff’s Office Ezell Brown, Sheriff