During a recent statewide meeting, Flint Energies employee and long-standing community servant Jesse Lockhart was named Volunteer Employee of the Year and presented the Georgia EMC 2016 Community Service and Volunteerism Award.

According to Flint Energies Manager of Public Relations Marian McLemore, Lockhart is Flint’s number one volunteer.

“No one comes close,” she says. “He volunteers for nearly every event that our co-op offers or that we support. In the rare instance he doesn’t participate, it’s because Jesse is volunteering for another cause not directly related to the co-op.”

Lockhart’s community service reaches far and wide in middle Georgia, Known as a “gentle giant”, he is passionate about improving the lives of children. He fights for the abused and neglected through his service to Rainbow House, a child advocacy center, and organized a 5K to build awareness during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.  He also encourages children to be healthy through participation in the Georgia High School Association, Kids and Pros, and Linemen for Little Ones, to name a few.

In addition to Lockhart’s service on behalf of children and youth, in the past year alone, he mulched Christmas trees for the local Keep Georgia Beautiful chapter, wrangled the Touchstone Energy Hot Air Balloon at local festivals, coached a football camp for area youth, volunteered for multiple days at the Georgia High School Association championship events, donated blankets to the needy on the coldest day of the year, stocked a food pantry, and donated school supplies to a local school.

In addition, he has volunteered with a number of organizations such as Keep Warner Robins Beautiful, Butler Volunteer Fire Department, Perry Dogwood Festival, Georgia Strawberry Festival, Battle of Byron Festival, Meals on Wheels, and many, many more.

Employed with Flint Energies for 13 years, Lockhart is currently supervisor of TNS and described as both a team member and team player.

Nominations for the awards were reviewed by an independent panel of judges with a solid reputation in statewide volunteer circles: Division Director of Community Development Rusty Haygood, Director for the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism Linda Thompson, and Director of Regional Community Service Corinne Thornton.

The purpose of the Georgia EMC Community Service and Volunteerism Award is to spotlight the outstanding efforts and initiatives of EMC management, individual directors and employees who are working to build stronger communities.

Lockhart was presented the award during Georgia EMC’s Annual Meeting on Nov. 14 in Savannah. To commemorate the occasion, a donation in his name will be made to a charity of his choice.