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2025 Elizabeth Duncan Koontz (EDK) Humanitarian Award Recipients

Two Salisburians were honored last month at the annual Elizabeth Duncan Koontz (EDK) Humanitarian Awards Program held at the Salisbury Civic Center.  Honorees Kenneth L. (Kenny) Hardin and Jose Dos Santos were selected from a field of five residents and organizations nominated this year for their dedication to the community. 

Kenny Hardin is a Salisbury native who is the Founder and Executive Board Chairman of the nonprofit organization, the High Road, Inc., which offers free nonlegal advocacy and mediation services to marginalized populations.  He also founded the Veterans Social Center, which is a therapeutic, recreational and museum facility that offers free services to Veterans with mental health challenges.  

Dos Santos is a native of Brazil who moved to Salisbury in 1995.  Chef Santos, as he’s commonly known, goes above and beyond to help those in need by providing meals for grieving families and bringing food to the elderly and those who may be housebound or living with a disability.  In addition, Chef Santos uplifts people by hiring those who are underserved or have been previously incarcerated.  As described in his nomination, Santos “loves all members of this community and is a friend to all people no matter what.”

The award is named in memory of Dr. Elizabeth “Libby” Duncan Koontz who was one of the organizers who re-established the Human Relations Council in 1985.  The Salisbury-Rowan Human Relations Council, now referred to as the Salisbury Human Relations Commission (HRC), sponsors this event annually to recognize community members and/or organizations who have made important contributions to improving local human relations.

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Monthly Newsletter

 TitleDescription
06/2025Lighting the Way and Giving Back | Legacy Mural | City Budget Review
05/2025Rock Out at Cheerwine Festival | Cheers for Shirt Design Winner | Festival Shuttle Service | Festival Information
04/2025Statewide Litter Sweep, Fair Housing Month, BlockWork Call For Neighborhoods, Sidewalk Poetry Call For Poets, Paint the Pavement Call for Artists
03/2025Cheerwine Festival T-Shirt Contest, Spring Spruce Up Week, Protect Your Water Bill, Pilot Traffic Circle
02/2025Tips For Cold Weather, Cheerwine Festival on May 17, Join A City Board, Tree Give-A-Away
01/2025Downtown Winners, BlockWork T-Shirt Contest, MLK Weekend, Wine About Winter, Leaf Collection, Recycling Calendar
12/2024Holiday Contests | Spruce Up Week | Sculpture Show Call For Artists | Empire Hotel Phase 1
11/2024Holiday Events | Safe Shopping Tips | Toss The Grease | Greenway Committee | 130 S. Main St. Survey
08/2024Take A Tree Tour | Officer Awarded For Saving Baby | Sculptures in the Spotlight | Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
08/2024Take A Tree Tour | Officer Awarded For Saving Baby | Sculptures in the Spotlight | Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
08/2024Take A Tree Tour | Officer Awarded For Saving Baby | Sculptures in the Spotlight | Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
08/2024Take A Tree Tour | Officer Awarded For Saving Baby | Sculptures in the Spotlight | Go Out on a limb for the Tree Board
05/2024Cheerwine Festival: Band Lineup, T-Shirt Contest Winner, Free Shuttles, Safety Guidelines and Ways to Stay Connected.
05/2024Cheerwine Festival: Band Lineup, T-Shirt Contest Winner, Free Shuttles, Safety Guidelines and Ways to Stay Connected.
04/2024Strategic Plan | Mental Health Crisis Line | BlockWork Call For Neighborhoods | Paint the Pavement Call For Artists | Meet the Sculpture Show Artists
04/2024Strategic Plan | Mental Health Crisis Line | BlockWork Call For Neighborhoods | Paint the Pavement Call For Artists | Meet the Sculpture Show Artists
03/2024Vote on Cheerwine Festival T-shirt Design | What to do for Water Line Breaks | Sign Up For RoCo Alerts | Spring Spruce Up Week
10/2023Dixonville Cemetery Memorial Dedication | Halloween Safety Tips | Empowering Women in Law Enforcement | Leaf Collection and Map
09/2023Rowan Creek Week | Leaf Collection | BlockWork Volunteers | New Deputy City Manager | Bell Tower Brewfest
03/2023Beautify Salisbury - Litter Sweeps, BlockWork, Adopt-A-Street, We Dig Salisbury | Cheerwine Festival | Salisbury311
03/2023Beautify Salisbury - Litter Sweeps, BlockWork, Adopt-A-Street, We Dig Salisbury | Cheerwine Festival | Salisbury311
03/2023Beautify Salisbury - Litter Sweeps, BlockWork, Adopt-A-Street, We Dig Salisbury | Cheerwine Festival | Salisbury311
02/2023Protect Your Pipes This Winter | Join A Board | City Begins Budget Process | Recycling In Salisbury | Recycling Calendar
02/2023Protect Your Pipes This Winter | Join A Board | City Begins Budget Process | Recycling In Salisbury | Recycling Calendar
12/2022Sculpture Calls For Artists | Winter Spruce Up Week | Feedback On Our Future | Be The Difference With A City Career | Holiday Recycling
12/2022Sculpture Calls For Artists | Winter Spruce Up Week | Feedback On Our Future | Be The Difference With A City Career | Holiday Recycling
12/2022Sculpture Calls For Artists | Winter Spruce Up Week | Feedback On Our Future | Be The Difference With A City Career | Holiday Recycling
11/2022Holiday Events | Salisbury Youth Council Inducts New Members | Tips to Shop Safe | Toss the Grease
10/2022Tips for Trick-or-Treaters | United Way Rowan | Crime Prevention Month | 4th Cultivating Community Conversations | Leaf Collection
08/2022Kudos To Lifeguards | Grant to Fund Flood, Road Sensors | Funds for Family Water Bills | City Awarded For Good Health
07/2022Sculpture Show | Citizen's Academy | Hurricane Season Tips | West End Survey | Council Approves Budget
06/2022Pool Opens For Summer | Reels and Riffs: Movie and Music Series | Wine About Winter ... In Summertime | Summer Spruce Up Week
06/2022Pool Opens For Summer | Reels and Riffs: Movie and Music Series | Wine About Winter ... In Summertime | Summer Spruce Up Week
04/2022Two Headline Bands To Rock Cheerwine Festival | Spotlight on Fire Safety | Salisbury Locals Win Big at NC Main Street Awards
04/2022Two Headline Bands To Rock Cheerwine Festival | Spotlight on Fire Safety | Salisbury Locals Win Big at NC Main Street Awards
11/2021Bell Tower Green Now Open | Keep Salisbury Beautiful | Shopping Tips For Black Friday
11/2021Bell Tower Green Now Open | Keep Salisbury Beautiful | Shopping Tips For Black Friday
10/2021Fire Prevention Week | BlockWork Looking For Volunteers | Leaf Collection Map
07/2021Salisbury Cease Fire | Citizen's Academy | Summer Spruce Up Week | Sculpture Show
07/2021Salisbury Cease Fire | Citizen's Academy | Summer Spruce Up Week | Sculpture Show
04/2021School Officers | New Look For Downtown | Local Humanitarians Receive EDK Awards | Employee Spotlight
04/2021School Officers | New Look For Downtown | Local Humanitarians Receive EDK Awards | Employee Spotlight
02/2021New Fire Station & Memorial Event | Protect Your Pipes | Join A Board Or Commission | Save The Date For Cheerwine | Employee Spotlight
02/2021New Fire Station & Memorial Event | Protect Your Pipes | Join A Board Or Commission | Save The Date For Cheerwine | Employee Spotlight
02/2021New Fire Station & Memorial Event | Protect Your Pipes | Join A Board Or Commission | Save The Date For Cheerwine | Employee Spotlight
12/2020SRU Exceeds Water Standard | Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve | Public Input Wanted
12/2020SRU Exceeds Water Standard | Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve | Public Input Wanted
12/2020SRU Exceeds Water Standard | Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve | Public Input Wanted
12/2020SRU Exceeds Water Standard | Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve | Public Input Wanted
12/2020SRU Exceeds Water Standard | Bring On 2021 Virtual New Year's Eve | Public Input Wanted
05/2020Virtual Cheerwine Festival | From The City Manager | Play At Home | BlockWork | From The Mayor | Alternative Bill Pay
02/2020Weathering The Storm | Nixle Is Now RoCo Alerts | EyeOnWater Is Smart On Money | Cheerwine Festival Returns May 16 | Employee Spotlight | Census 2020
02/2020Weathering The Storm | Nixle Is Now RoCo Alerts | EyeOnWater Is Smart On Money | Cheerwine Festival Returns May 16 | Employee Spotlight | Census 2020
02/2020Weathering The Storm | Nixle Is Now RoCo Alerts | EyeOnWater Is Smart On Money | Cheerwine Festival Returns May 16 | Employee Spotlight | Census 2020
11/2019Bike Giveaway | Plan For Downtown's Future | Don't Get Clogged | Lost Families | Sculpture Show
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
08/2019Salisbury Youth Employees | New SPD Initiatives | Youth Baseball Camp | Brewbury Fest Returns | Recycling
07/2019Keep Salisbury Beautiful | Save The Date for Cheerwine Fest 2020 | Back To School | National Night Out | Beat the Summer Heat
07/2019Keep Salisbury Beautiful | Save The Date for Cheerwine Fest 2020 | Back To School | National Night Out | Beat the Summer Heat
04/2019Festival Music Lineup | Locals Receive EDK Awards | Business with the City | SPD Foot Pursuit 5K | City Nature Challenge
04/2019Festival Music Lineup | Locals Receive EDK Awards | Business with the City | SPD Foot Pursuit 5K | City Nature Challenge
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
02/2019Cheerwine Festival Vendor Applications Open | Get Involved, Apply Now | Fair Housing Seeks Volunteers | Council Retreat Open to Public | Snow Safety | Employee Spotlight | Main St. Conference in Salisbury
01/2019EDK Nominations | Holiday Storefront Awards | Celebrating MLK Weekend | Employee Spotlight | Winter Spruce Up Week | Transit Survey | New Tools Keeps An Eye On Water

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