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For their unwavering commitment to preservation projects, and their impact on preservation at a state- and nation-wide level.
About the Award
The Ruth Coltrane Cannon Award is North Carolina's most prestigious
preservation award presented for outstanding achievement of statewide
significance in historic preservation in North Carolina.
First given in 1948, the award is named for Ruth Coltrane Cannon,
president of the North Carolina Society for the Preservation of
Antiquities from 1945 to 1956, in recognition of her outstanding
contributions to preservation.
Mrs. Cannon's daughter, Mariam Cannon Hayes of Concord, generously
endowed the Cannon Award in memory of her parents. Mrs. Hayes, who
passed away in 2007, was another great friend to historic preservation
and is also greatly missed.
Marion Stedman Covington had a long
history of volunteerism and philanthropy, with wide and varied interests, but her
commitment to the field of historic preservation in North Carolina was
unparalleled.
Through the years, The Covington
Foundation has supported hundreds of preservation-based projects. Since 1986, the Covington Foundation
has given nearly $2.9 million to support preservation projects in North
Carolina. Perhaps most notable was
the establishment of the Stedman Incentive Grant, given in memory of Mrs.
Covington's father to assist non-profit organizations in the preservation
efforts. The Grant has been
awarded annually since 1976.
Among the numerous projects funded,
most notable are: efforts to
initiate historic preservation courses at UNC-CH, NCSU and UNCG; funds to
revise, update and manage the PNC website, which has grown to be one of the
most-visited preservation web sites in the nation; and challenge grants to help
several local organizations raise valuable dollars to support special projects,
from Rosenwald Schools to special collection museums.
Grants have helped save critically
important structures throughout the state, from buildings at the John C.
Campbell Folk School and Pendland School of Crafts in the mountains, to the
Ward Hancock House in Beaufort and the former Bath High School in Bath along
the coast. The Covington Foundation continues to leverage great results from
modest but targeted investments, and citizens throughout North Carolina will
continue to benefit from the dedicated trustees at the Covington Foundation,
and their monumental efforts.
The Covington Foundation has shown
an unparalleled level of commitment, dedication and understanding to the unique
issues that preservationists face.
Their support will have a lasting impact on the footprint of historic
preservation and philanthropy throughout North Carolina and the nation. PNC is forever in their debt for the
countless hours of volunteerism from their dedicated Board, as well as their
philanthropic support.
It's hard to imagine anyone who's had more
statewide impact in preservation.
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