10/28/2026
CITIZENS OF THE YEAR: The Power of a Community That Cares
Every once in a while, we have the privilege of recognizing people who remind us what makes Lawrence County such a special place to call home. This past week, I had the distinct honor of presenting the Citizens of the Year Award to two people I have known for most of my life, Joe and Jessica Chapman.
I’ve known Joe since the seventh grade, when students from several elementary schools came together at E.O. Coffman. I remember him being about 6’2” while I was struggling to reach five feet tall! He also had one of the finest mullets the 1980s could produce. Joe was larger than life then, and in many ways, he still is today. But what has always impressed me most isn’t his size. It’s the size of his heart.
I remember when this incredible journey began. I was serving as chairman of the Kids Place Board of Directors when Joe called me with an idea. He wanted to organize a demolition derby to raise money for Kids Place and help children who desperately needed someone in their corner.
Now, I’ve received plenty of phone calls over the years with all kinds of ideas, but I have to admit, a demolition derby wasn’t exactly what I expected! But Joe had a vision, a willingness to work, and a heart for helping others. And sometimes that’s all it takes to get something extraordinary started.
Looking back, I’m not sure either of us could have imagined just how far that conversation would go.
What started with a phone call and a simple idea has grown into a community tradition that has raised nearly $300,000 for children in need.
In its first year, 2020, the event raised $18,000. The following year, that number grew to $30,000. In 2022, they raised $35,000, followed by an impressive $63,000 in 2023. In 2024, the event reached a new milestone with $74,277 raised, and in 2025, another $72,771 was contributed to this worthy cause.
That’s a combined $293,048 raised in just six years!
Those numbers represent far more than dollars. They represent compassion, hope, protection, and opportunities for children who need someone willing to stand in their corner.
Joe and Jessica have demonstrated something that I believe is foundational to a strong community: You don’t have to hold a public office, possess a fancy title, or have tremendous wealth to make a tremendous difference. You simply have to care enough to do something.
And while Joe and Jessica are certainly deserving of this recognition, one of the things I admire most about them is that they haven’t done it alone.
They have surrounded themselves with an incredible team of volunteers, supporters, businesses, friends, and families who share their vision of giving back. That is what makes this story so special.
Among those deserving recognition is James McCormack and his Trust Farms crew, who organize the Junk Car Jump and Run that accompanies the demolition derby. Their hard work, creativity, and willingness to contribute have added another exciting dimension to the event while helping advance its charitable mission.
It takes countless hours of planning, preparation, fundraising, organizing, and volunteering to make events like these successful. Much of that work happens long before the first engine starts and continues long after the last car leaves the arena.
Those are the people who rarely seek recognition but deserve our gratitude.
And here’s the exciting part: They’re just getting started!
Next year, this remarkable group is planning to expand the festivities into a two-day event, with an ambitious fundraising goal of $100,000!
Think about that for a moment. An event that began by raising $18,000 in 2020 is now setting its sights on raising $100,000 in a single year!
That’s not just a fundraising goal. That’s a statement of faith in what a community can accomplish when people unite around a common purpose.
And when they reach that goal, their cumulative fundraising will approach $400,000. What an extraordinary accomplishment that would be!
I often say that progress doesn’t happen by accident. It requires vision, commitment, sacrifice, and people willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Joe, Jessica, James, and this entire team are living examples of that principle.
We spend a great deal of time talking about economic development, infrastructure, public safety, education, and the many responsibilities of local government. All of those things are vitally important. But the true strength of Lawrence County has never been found exclusively in its buildings, budgets, or businesses.
The true strength of Lawrence County has always been its people.
It’s found in neighbors helping neighbors, churches serving families, businesses supporting worthy causes, and volunteers giving their time without expecting anything in return.
It’s found in people who see a need and, rather than waiting for someone else to address it, decide to become part of the solution.
Imagine what our county could accomplish if each of us approached our communities with that same attitude.
What if every one of us asked, “What can I do to make Lawrence County better?” rather than simply asking what someone else ought to do?
We might not all organize a demolition derby. We might not all raise $100,000. But every one of us has something to contribute. A few hours of our time, a word of encouragement, a financial gift, a helping hand, or simply showing up to support someone else’s efforts can make a lasting impact.
And perhaps that’s the greatest lesson we can learn from this year’s Citizens of the Year.
Great things happen when good people stop waiting for someone else to make a difference.
To Joe and Jessica Chapman, congratulations on this well-deserved honor. Your friendship means a great deal to me, but your example means even more to our community.
To James McCormack, the Trust Farms crew, and every volunteer, sponsor, family member, and supporter who has helped make this effort successful, thank you. This recognition belongs to you as well.
And to the people of Lawrence County, I encourage you to get behind next year’s two-day event. Let’s support these folks, celebrate their hard work, and help them reach that $100,000 goal.
I believe they can do it. More importantly, I believe WE can do it.
My father taught me years ago that “Change is inevitable, but progress is optional.”
Joe and Jessica Chapman and their remarkable team have chosen progress. They’ve chosen generosity. They’ve chosen service.
And because of that, Lawrence County is a better place.
Congratulations to our Citizens of the Year, and thank you for reminding us that the greatest investment we can ever make is in one another.
God bless you, and God bless Lawrence County!
