Prestigious Holm Award Given to Mouthcard, Kentucky's Esther Childress

Recognizing outstanding service to America, NOAA’s National Weather Service has named Esther Childress of Mouthcard, KY a 2015 recipient of the John Campanius Holm Award for outstanding service in the Cooperative Weather Observer Program. The award is the agency’s second most prestigious and only 25 were presented this year to cooperative weather observers from around the country.

Esther Childress presented with John Companius Holm Award by NWS Jackson, KY Meteorologist-in-Charge Shawn Harley

Top Row: George, Patricia, Gail, Shawn Harley (NWS Jackson), Doug Tackett (Pike County Emergency Management

Bottom Row: Audrey, Esther Childress, Debbie

The award was presented to Mrs. Childress on September 24, 2015, during a gathering of family and friends at the Grundy Church of Christ in Grundy, Virginia. Mrs. Childress has served her community and assisted the National Weather Service by taking daily weather observations from Mouthcard, KY since April 1, 1964. During her 50 plus years as a Cooperative Weather Observer, Mrs. Childress has become well known in her community as the "go-to" person when one of her neighbors has a precipitation related question. However, taking accurate and timely weather observations is just a small part of Mrs. Childress's community service. She was a founding member of the Grundy Church of Christ in 1938 and has been committed to her church, community, family and friends throughout her life. It was an honor to be able to present Mrs. Childress with this prestigious award!

Read more about Cooperative Weather Observers and how the National Weather Service awards their service.

Below are some additional pictures taken during the award ceremony at the Grundy Church of Christ. The National Weather Service in Jackson, KY would like to thank the Grundy Church of Christ and all of the family and friends that made this award ceremony possible!