Tanya Gollott-Swoope, a lifelong Biloxian who serves as chair of the Biloxi Blessing of the Fleet and Shrimp Festival and is involved in many other organizations, has been named the city’s Distinguished Volunteer of the Year for 2009.
Gollott-Swoope was among the dozens of volunteered by the city during the 26th annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony Wednesday at the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center.
Gollott-Swoope has given more than 25 years of service to various Biloxi organizations and events, including the Maritime and Seafood Industry, the Biloxi Boys and Girls Club and has chaired.
Others receiving special recognition as volunteers of the year for specific types of volunteerism were:
Community Volunteer Sarah Rider, Youth Volunteer Cindy Nguyen, Health Volunteer Kaitlin Truong, Arts & History Volunteer Laura Bolton, Sports Volunteer Alex Arandon, Education Volunteer Kay Dunn, Adult Group Volunteer Beau Rivage Diversity Champions, Youth Volunteer Group Biloxi High School Key Club, City of Biloxi Employee Volunteer Rhonda Balius, Business Volunteer The Peoples Bank, Non-Profit Organization Biloxi Edgewater Civitan Club, Military Volunteer Rupert Laco.
To see more than 100 photos from the ceremony, click here.
To see background on the honorees of the year, click here.
