The 2015 Children’s Hero of the Year finalists include Bob Silver, a former school board member who is currently a board member of the East Lincoln Betterment Association. Bob is joined in the Treasure category by nominees Steve and Angie Smith. Steve, a former Carolina Panther is a well-known NFL wide receiver and with Angie, co-founder of the Steve Smith Family Foundation. The third nominee in the Treasure category is Manny Ohonme, Founder/CEO of Samaritan’s Feet.

Cathy Davis, Director of the Lincoln Cultural Center and a school board member is a finalist in the Time category along with Molly Grantham of WBTV and Dee Dee Mills, founder and board member of Behailu Academy.

Finalists in the Talent category are former Charlotte Hornet and Wake Forest University basketball star Muggsy Bogues, who is also Founder and a board member of Always Believe, Inc.; Tricia Cotham, a NC House member representing District 100; and Janine Davis, Founder/Executive Director of Girl Talk Foundation.

The nominations for the Children’s Hero of the Year were submitted by fellow community members. Finalists were chosen by a panel of Executive Community Council members who individually made their selections based purely on the information provided within the nominations. The final recipient in each of the three categories will be decided by the previous year’s Children’s Hero of the Year finalists and will be announced during the 2015 Children’s Hero of the Year gala in June.

Eckerd has partnered with both the North Carolina Department of Public Safety Division of Juvenile Justice and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to provide community-based services to include Juvenile Justice Case Management and Post Adoption Support Services designed to address the emotional and behavioral needs of youth and their families. Individualized treatment plans include wrap-around services, evidence-based interventions, and family support through a network of community resources designed to strengthen the family unit and promote eventual self-sufficiency. Services are strength-based, individualized, culturally appropriate, trauma informed, and grounded in family-centered principles and practices.

For those who are not familiar or who may only recognize the name Eckerd as the name of a drug store chain that no longer exists, Eckerd (eckerd.org) is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit child and family service organizations. Founded in 1968, Eckerd is a pioneering youth services organization dedicated to helping kids succeed. Founders Jack and Ruth Eckerd envisioned a program to create healthy and successful alternatives to help children turn their lives around.

By 1982, the state of Florida asked Eckerd to operate the state’s first private juvenile justice program. Since then, the organization has expanded to serve a total of 11 states including all of those in the Southeast. Eckerd assists with adoptions, foster children's programs and other programs in part by assisting other agencies. Over its history, Eckerd has assisted more than 150,000 children.

While the nominees and their spouses will be honored guests at the June 5th gala, it is a fundraiser and others attending will need to purchase a ticket. Proceeds will benefit the Eckerd programs.

Individual tickets for the awards gala are $80 and reservations must be made by May 20th. Corporate sponsorship tables are also available.