Jeff Faircloth honored as Rotary’s Citizen of the Year
By Shelia Mader
The Marianna Rotary Club held its yearly meeting last Wednesday with some important awards and recognitions on the agenda. The Paul Harris Fellows Award was established in 2015 by the Marianna Rotary Board. The award is given annually to the person deemed to represent Service Above Self. The nine previous winners are: Pat Crisp, Isaiah Morgan, Bill Kleinhans, Joan Stadsklev, the Reverend Roland Rabon, the Beebe Family, Robert C. (Bob) Cowen, Shelia Mader and last year’s winner, John Roberts.
Each year the individual selected is presented with a Paul Harris Fellows Award along with an engraved crystal trophy. This year three nominations were received. All nominees are worthy and exemplify the Rotary motto: Service Above Self. All met the criteria of having contributed significantly to making Marianna and Jackson County a better place for every citizen to enjoy.
Judges were the club president and two past club presidents. They carefully reviewed the nomination forms and selected Jeff Faircloth as the 2025 winner.
Some may not know Jeff. He is often working quietly behind the scenes. However, he has impacted the lives of a young persons in our community.
Here are a few specific comments from Jeff’s nomination. “There are not enough blank pages to fill with words to explain Jeff’s lifelong impact on the children and youth of Marianna and Jackson County. From working at the MERE, to now being the Director, to officiating various sports (including FSU football), to caring for and maintaining MHS baseball and football/soccer fields, Jeff faithfully makes an impact for good in our community.”
“Jeff Faircloth should be nominated for the simple fact that he has one of the toughest jobs in Marianna where he must manage expectations while only pleasing 50% of the community 50% of the time while being undercompensated for the amazing job he does for our youth, adults, and seniors in our community.”
Here are a few quotes from Jeffs peers:
“One of the most remarkable aspects of Jeff’s service is his tireless efforts to ensure that our sports fields are always in top-notch condition, ready to host youth, high school, and adult sports activities. Despite the challenges posed by weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances, Jeff has consistently gone above and beyond his call of duty, often putting in numerous hours beyond the norm to prepare the fields for play.”
“What sets Jeff apart is not just his willingness to volunteer his time and expertise, but also his unwavering commitment to ensuring that every individual involved in our sports programs feels valued and supported. Whether it’s repairing a baseball diamond after a heavy storm or advocating for resources to improve facilities, Jeff’s passion for service shines through in everything he does. Jeff leads by example, inspiring those around him to embrace the values of teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship.”
Obie Evans, the President of Dixie Softball shared these thoughts, “What can a man say about another man other than he is a man’s man. I can proudly say that Jeff is one of these men. Jeff has served as a volunteer for Dixie Softball since 2011 for only one reason and one reason alone, for the girls. Sadly, when Jeff’s young daughter, Carson, passed away from complications caused by juvenile diabetes in 2013, I got to see just how strong Jeff was. He could have walked away from his duties as a Dixie Softball director, but he chose to stand strong, and he dedicated his energy toward helping the girls not only in Marianna but in the state of Florida and throughout the South play and enjoy the game of softball just as his daughter did.” Obie concluded by saying, “It is men like Jeff Faircloth that America needs today. Someone who is thoughtful, considerate of others, and is firm but fair in their decisions. I am proud to say that Jeff Faircloth is such a man.”
For these and many other reasons it is obvious to see that Jeff has worked tirelessly to make Marianna and Jackson County a better place for all to enjoy. Therefore, Jeff Faircloth was presented the Marianna Rotary Club Service Above Self Award for his lifetime of service.
In addition to the Service Above Self Award, the Marianna Rotary Club is also presented Jeff with a Paul Harris Fellows certificate and pin, as further appreciation for his lifetime of service to Marianna and Jackson County. The club donated $1,000 in Jeff’s name to the Rotary International Foundation.