The Leadership Lowndes Board of Trustees honored Community Service Group 1 with the annual Leadership Lowndes Community Service Award during the Class Graduation, which was held Nov. 19 at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts.
Each year, the class in divided into community service groups where they are asked to implement an entire project from start to finish for a local organization. Group 1 included Scott James Matheson, Barry Broome, Caila Anderson, Chad Pigford, Nicole Steel and Dr. Betsy Thacker and they chose to host a Celebrity Art Auction to benefit LAMP.
“We were so touched by LAMP’s effort. It became our goal to raise as much awareness as money,” said Scott James Matheson, member of the winning community service group.
The Changing Lives Dinner raised $4,250 and the Celebrity Art Auction $12,823.94. Through cash and in kind services, the entire project raised $28,232.94. Following the graduation ceremony, the group made an additional $500 to LAMP.
Scott James Matheson encourages everyone to remember, “This is a hand up, not a hand out.”
“The community service projects really add another level of excellence and leadership experience to the Leadership Lowndes program,” said Joe Belson, 2015 president. 
This year, the Class of 2015 raised over $60,000 for various community organizations.
