By Staff
PATRIOT WINGS Bill Crawford, left, president of The Montgomery Institute, presents the first-ever Montgomery Patriot Award to the award's namesake, former U.S. Rep. G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, during Friday night's Fourth of July celebration at Bonita Lakes Park. The award features a crystal American eagle perched on a mahogany base. Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star.
By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
July 6, 2003
Officials with The Montgomery Institute want to keep former U.S. Rep. G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery's legacy fresh on the minds of the community.
Bill Crawford, president of The Montgomery Institute, said one of the ways his organization hopes to accomplish that is through the annual presentation of the Montgomery Patriot Award.
The first award was presented to Montgomery himself during Meridian's Fourth of July celebration at Bonita Lakes Park on Friday.
Crawford said his organization, which was created two years ago and funded through a grant from the Riley Foundation, will first appoint a committee that will select each year's winners.
The award will then be presented each year at the city's annual Fourth of July celebration.
Crawford said he's also working with organizers of the Fourth of July celebration to purchase a giant-sized American flag for the park, which will bear the name of each year's Montgomery Patriot Award winner at the stone base of the flag.