Research Center in Live Oak . Additionally , he ’ s been in the Live Oak Rotary Club for over 50 years , was named a member of the Rotary Society , received the Service above Self award and supported the Rotary ’ s Suwannee High Interact Program during that time .
Past president of the McAlpin Community Club , McAlpin Volunteer Fire Department and the Florida Pest Management Association ; past Chairman of the State of Florida Pest Control Advisory Board and member of the National Pest Management Association ; with the career and legacy of altruistic endeavors McGranahan has been a part of , it ’ s easy to see why he was named the Chamber Gala ’ s Trailblazer of 2023 .
Citizen of the Year : Kathleen Townsend
Kathleen Townsend ’ s road to being honored as the Chamber Gala ’ s Citizen of the Year in 2023 was paved by starting the “ Homeless Mat ” program , which consisted of collecting and repurposing grocery bags woven together to create waterproof , weather resistant mats given to local law enforcement agencies to gift to homeless individuals . To date , over 400 mats have been given throughout multiple counties under this project with other civic groups adopting the initiative as well .
Townsend was also a founding member of Crosses for our Community , which honors veterans on Memorial Day and Veteran ’ s Day with personalized cross and flag bundles positioned along Highway 129 South with the number of crosses on display now close to 600 .
Additionally , Townsend has put her time and efforts toward being a member of the Suwannee County Cert ( Community Emergency Response ) Team , which is a group comprised of volunteers who respond in times of disaster . On occasions where the Emergency Operation Center had been open for multiple days at a time , Townsend went so far as to pay for , cook and deliver meals to over 20-plus workers .
Other community endeavors Townsend has been involved in have included participating in the Policeman ’ s Ball , donating finances to fundraisers for Cooking for a Cause and being an active member of her church – every act of which has made an impactful mark on her community and earned her the recognition of Citizen of the Year .
To learn more about the annual Chamber Gala or to purchase tickets for next year ’ s celebration , visit the Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce website at SuwanneeChamber . com or call the Chamber directly at ( 386 ) 362-1782 .
2023-2024 | SUWANNEE CHAMBER IMPACT 119