FMO's Doyce Henry wins state Community Service Award

Doyce Henry of the GA DOD Facilities Maintenance Department was recognized by receiving Public Employee Community Service Award for the State of Georgia at ceremonies held in Macon on May 1.

Henry, a 17- year state employee was selected in the category of Community Service from state employees from all agencies in the state for his uniquely inspiring activities to raise needed funds for persons in need within his west Georgia community.

Henry and two close partners used their love of gospel music and their love of their community to plan and organize gospel sings in local churches. Each concert is organized to benefit a particular individual or local family who are experiencing a specific need or illness. At the gospel concerts with audiences numbering in the hundreds, funds collected from “love offerings” and presented to the persons in need.

In his first-ever gospel sing event, Henry and his partners raised $3,000 for a local woman suffering from cancer. In April, a concert organized by Henry to support the family of a 12-year old girl with throat cancer raised more than $9,000. The money was used for expensive chemotherapy for the young girl. The child was recently diagnosed as “cancer free”.

“Before we plan any event, my partners and I meet and pray with the family,” said Henry. Usually the family or individual is totally unaware that a fund-raising event is being planned on their behalf. Once an event is decided upon, Henry and partners move forward with extensive media advertising, flyers and promotion, done either complementary or from Henry’s own pockets.

Henry and his partners organized fund raisers in October 2006 to benefit the family of a nine-year old boy suffering from adrenoleukadystrophy or ALD, a disease which destroys the nerve endings to the brain. The event drew several hundred from the local community and raised over $7,000 to improve the quality of life for the child and his family.

Recognized gospel singers, quartets and gospel singing families from throughout Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee are invited to participate.. In every case, these gospel entertainers donate their time and talent without charge.

Late October also saw a fund-raising gospel sing held in Henry’s hometown of Temple to assist a local police officer suffering from cancer. The concert that showcased numerous popular gospel groups raised more that $14,000. Following twenty six-weeks of chemotherapy paid in part by benefits from the sing, the cancer is now in remission and officer is today back on duty.

Henry insists that the people he and his partners help and the benefits they produce are an “assignment” from God. “I am simply following through”, says Henry. When discussing his work Doyce Henry is quick to give credit to where credit is due. “I give the credit for these successes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

In the weeks ahead Doyce Henry will join other Georgia State employee award winners in meeting with Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.

Henry whose pleasant personality, home-spun anecdotes, and engaging humor attracts many to him, but his uncommon desire to help others is an unequalled example of what is meant by lending a helping hand to those in need.