Local Jefferson Award honoree to represent West TN in Washington, DC

JACKSON, Tenn. — Local unsung heroes were honored Tuesday for making a positive impact in the West Tennessee community.

Honorees of the Jefferson Awards and their families gathered Tuesday morning at the Jackson Country Club for lunch and a recognition ceremony.

The honorees are nominated by the community through calls and emails.

At the banquet, Lori Collins of Redemption Road Rescue was named the Jefferson Award’s annual winner.

Collins will travel to Washington, D.C., in June to represent West Tennessee among nominees from around the nation.

Collins says she is surprised and humbled.

“It feels amazing,” Collins said. “The good thing is it helps the cause. It helps the cause to get out there, so it’s awesome. I’m going to go out there and have fun, and I’m going to represent our county with the Jefferson Award and the people that have gotten me here and share my thoughts and my heart what we’re doing here in Tennessee.”

“She’s done great things to affect people for years,” Leigh Anne Bentley of Leaders Credit Union said of Collins’ efforts. “She’s been working on this for decades. She brings hundreds of volunteers to bring this to fruition.”

You can nominate anyone for a Jefferson Award at www.wbbjtv.com/jeffersonawards.