By Sharah Denton

VALDOSTA – The Annual Valdosta Civic Roundtable hosted its annual Holiday Luncheon on Thursday, Dec. 14 at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. The Civic Roundtable has met monthly since 1945 to share information that is beneficial to the community and is comprised of various organizations that are all working towards a common goal in improve the community.

During this luncheon, the annual Louie Peeples White Volunteer Award is announced and this year Stuart Mullis, who served as the Executive Director for Habitat For Humanity for many years, was honored. The organization presented the award to his family along with new Executive Director, Molly Ferrier. Stuart was a very well respected and loved man in the community and served as executive director for 14 years until his unexpected passing.

The Valdosta Civic Roundtable was established in 1946 to provide a forum through which civic projects may be organized and conducted; current civic matters discussed and resolutions regarding them adopted; and to promote cooperation and understanding among its member organizations to enhance the quality of life in the community through appropriate civic endeavors. Membership includes public or private non-profit clubs, organizations, associations, and agencies whose objectives are to provide for the health, safety, education, and welfare of the community and whose activities in general are dedicated to humanitarian principles for the betterment of all, regardless of creed or race.

The representatives from the member organizations are the president (or other executive head) and the immediate past president, or any two duly elected or appointed representatives. The Award for Outstanding Community Service is named in honor of Louie Peebles White. Louie Peeples White has served as President of the Valdosta Civic Roundtable, President of the Lowndes County Historical Society, and President of the Valdosta Heritage Foundation. She has served on the Lowndes/Valdosta Arts Commission and on Valdosta State University Foundation Board of Trustees.

While serving in those positions, she was instrumental in bringing about an Arts Center for Valdosta, a Cultural Arts Guild, and a Theatre Guild, as well as renovation of the Lowndes County Historical Society Museum, stabilization of the Roberts House, and inclusion of several Valdosta properties on the National Historical Register.