Recipients of the 2025 Town of Boone 1872 Award have been named and will be recognized this Friday at the Boone 4th of July Parade. The individual honorees are Kay Borkowski and David Jackson, and the organization recipient is Hospitality House of Northwestern NC.
1872 Award honorees will be recognized at the Town of Boone 4th of July Parade, which will take place in downtown Boone on Friday, July 4 at 11 a.m. Recipients will serve and grand marshals for the parade, and following the procession will be presented a handmade keepsake pottery piece, courtesy of Doe Ridge Pottery, on the lawn of the Jones House Cultural Center.
Kay Borkowski is a longtime High Country resident whose service to the community includes her work with the Hospitality House, Appalachian State, and a number of other civic organizations. A founder of the Hearts of Hospitality House, her organization has been a key fundraising source for the organization, and has helped keep the Hospitality House in the public eye through annual events like the Hearts Ball and the High Country Turkey Trot. The wife of late Appalachian State University Chancellor Dr. Francis Borkowski, she has been honored with the Rotary Lifetime Community Service Award and continues to be an active and concerned citizen in Boone and the High Country.
David Jackson is an indispensable figure in Boone and the High Country. After 15 years with the Appalachian State Athletic Department and the voice of the Mountaineers, he joined the Boone Are Chamber of Commerce. As president and CEO of the organization, Jackson has been a champion for High Country businesses, and he took a leading role in navigating the recovery (in the business community and beyond) during the COVID-19 pandemic and following Hurricane Helene. Jackson serves on a number of important local boards and committees and continues to cultivate new ideas to support a thriving Boone community.
Hospitality House of Northwest NC is a regional nonprofit agency serving seven counties in Western NC, and since 1984 they have provided a safe and healthy environment to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. More than just providing a place to sleep and a wholesome meal, Hospitality House provides essential resources and equips individuals with the tools to become self-sufficient and to thrive. Since Helene, Hospitality House has stepped up to meet a skyrocketing demand, providing over 18,000 people with meals, and housing more than 250 households.
The Town of Boone 1872 Award was established in 2023 to recognize individuals and organizations who have made substantial contributions to the Town, through innovation, preservation, and service. Past recipients of the Award include Rene Boughman of F.A.R.M. Café, in 2023, and Bettie Bond and Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, in 2024.
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