MIDDLESBORO — Area women who have served their communities, families and friends were recognized Thursday in front of a large crowd at the 11th Annual Celebration of Women, held at the Middlesboro Mall.

Sponsored by the Bell County Health Department and First State Financial, the women were honored for being leaders in the community.

“We honor women that have contributed to their community, civic organizations, churches, UNITE, Relay For Life — any worthy cause in Bell County,” said Leigh Ann Baker, organizer of the celebration. Basically, it’s just recognizing women in the community that have contributed to different organizations and who go beyond the normal work routine.” She recognized the past award recipients during her opening remarks. “We’ve had 48 past recipients. Seven of them have passed away,” said Baker. There were many gathered for yesterday’s event.

Albey Brock, Bell County Judge-Executive, served as Master of Ceremonies for the event and introduced each recipient with a biography of their many accomplishments and presented them with plaques. The seven women chosen for this year’s awards were Charla Costanzo, Shelia Durham, Faye Green, Dink Helton, Elizabeth Madon, Sandra Stapleton and Mary Wethington.

Charla Costanzo has been married for 24 years to Bell County’s District Judge Robert Costanzo and they have two daughters. She has spent her whole career educating children. She spends a great deal of her time in drop-out prevention, even visiting homes several times until the parents realize that she won’t leave them alone until they get their children back in school. To further promote school attendance, she came up with the idea of a car give-a-way after hearing about it from other area schools. She serves on Bell Whitley’s policy council on literacy. She is also a member of Friends of the Shelter. Her latest endeavor was serving as CO-chair for Middlesboro High School’s Project Graduation.

Shelia Durham has been described as a person that can’t say ‘no’ to volunteer work. Since 2005, she has served as Marketing Director for the Middlesboro Mall. She is an active member of Shawanee Baptist Church where she serves as music director, young children’s choir leader and softball league member. She is the president of Middlesboro Middle School’s Youth Council treasurer and school’s softball boosters. She is also on the Cumberland Mountain Fall Festival committee and is active in the March of Dimes Walk America.

Faye Helton Green has spent a lifetime serving her community, county and state. She supported and worked as Deputy Clerk, side by side with her husband, Charles “Monk” Green who was Bell County Sheriff and Circuit Court Clerk for 32 years. Faye was a positive influence and role model to numerous people that she met through the court system. Some of her many community service activities include serving for more than 10 years on the Bell Whitley Board and serving many years as a Republican party member. She has also been a member of the Order of Eastern Star for over 45 years. She was also commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel in 1988.

Dink Helton returned to Pineville after college to work as a nurse at Pineville Community Hospital. Dr. Golden always said Dink was one of the best nurses that Pineville Hospital ever had. Active in many community affairs, she has served on numerous Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival committees. She has served on Pineville’s Community Hospital’s Home Health Board, Sister Marjorie Learning Center’s Board of Directors and Bell County’s 4-H council, serving as vice president. She is very active at First Baptist Church assisting with bible school, Sunday school, the annual nativity and the kitchen and funeral meal committees. She is a member of the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club whose primary purpose is to purchase clothing for needy children.

The next honoree was Elizabeth Madon. Elizabeth learned community pride and love at an early age from her parents. One of her many accomplishments are the hours she work that she does each year with the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival. She has served at least once on every committee the festival has. She is a member of First Baptist Church in Pineville where she has taught Sunday school and is a youth board member there. She is an encourager to youth as well as the elderly and is loved by her church family.

Sandra Stapleton is a devoted teacher. She would even tutor a student on her own if she felt they were not performing to their potential. Sandie is an active member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, serving as Sunday school teacher, choir member, office volunteer and has served several terms as a member of the church vestry. She actively organized a Relay for Life team at St. Mary’s and to raise money for the team and other church activities she operated a greenhouse in her back yard selling tomato plants. As a cancer survivor, Sandie has become a mentor to other women diagnosed with breast cancer by offering them support and resources. As a member of the Tri-State Community Chorus, she has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The final recipient, Mary Wethington, has been employed by Home Federal Bank in Middlesboro for nearly 30 years. She is a member of Walnut Hill Baptist Church where she serves the children 5-years-old and under as pianist and Sunday school teacher. Mary’s community involvement is extensive. She is a member of the Middlesboro Lions Club. She organized and served as event chairperson for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Bell County for five years and continues her support in Relay as ceremonies chair and a member of Home Federal Bank’s team. She is a past board member of Habitat for Humanity and the current president of Cumberland Trails United Way, serving six counties in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Mary also offers her services as an annual ROHO shopper, Bell County Repair Affair worker, Home Federal Bank March of Dimes team member and Bell County Chamber of Commerce Coke booth volunteer.

The ceremony concluded with the award recipients receiving gifts presented by Pat Fulton of First State Financial.

Refreshments were available, courtesy of First State Financial, as well as information and giveaways provided by the many exhibitors at the event. Exhibitors included: Air Evac, Lighthouse Ministries, Friends of the Shelter, KCHIP, Cumberland River Comp Care, PCH mammography, Rockcastle County Health Department, BPW, Bell-Whitley, Bell County Council Against Abuse, Bell County Extension Office, Teresa Fortner, CURVES, Xocai, Family Home Health, SEKCTC, Mary Kay, Family Life Abuse and LinCare. The Bell County Health Department has several displays: Tobacco education, HANDS, Breast/Cervical screening information, nutrition and Reach Out & Read.

The Pine Mountain Dancers delighted the crowd with some lively entertainment as the event came to a close.

Tabitha Webb is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. She may be contacted at twebb@middlesborodailynews.com.