By By Paul Keane
Publisher
Sherry Digmon and Dottie Padgett were both honored during Tuesday night's 57th Annual Chamber of Commerce Membership Meeting – commonly called the Chamber Banquet – at the Atmore Lions Club Community Center.
Digmon earned this year's Citizen of the Year Award while Padgett was given a Lifetime Achievement honor at the banquet. Gary Fayard, an Atmore native and currently senior vice president and CFO of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, was the guest speaker.
Digmon was honored as the Citizen of the Year based on her many civic and professional efforts in the Atmore community. She is the owner and publisher of "atmore Magazine," a monthly publication that features various aspects of life in the area and also promotes civic and charitable causes throughout the year. The magazine will celebrate its first anniversary next month.
Having grown up in the area, Digmon has also served in various roles with the Atmore Community Hospital and currently serves with the American Cancer Society, is active in the Relay for Life program and serves with the Atmore Women's Club, among others.
Digmon was chosen for the honor after being nominated by more than one person from the community, as were several of the other nominees for this year's award.
Padgett was given the Lifetime Achievement Award based on her untiring efforts to provide for the medical and emotional care of Atmore residents for the past 45 years or more.
After graduating from nursing school in New Orleans, Padgett came back to Atmore and began working at the then Greenlawn Hospital, a facility she never left during her career. She has seen and helped a number of Atmore residents either be born or give birth, and she's held their hand and comforted them before surgery, was the first person many patients saw when they awoke from a procedure and has comforted family during times of death.
In 2001, Baptist Health Care – parent company for Atmore Community Hospital – honored her with its Legend Award. She has also been given other honors through the years, always giving credit to others rather than herself.