Judge Beth Heath thought she was being interviewed by Neuse News but was presented with the Community Health Hero Award instead. The Lenoir County Alliance for a Healthy Community recognized Heath for her dedication to Drug Court.

“I’m just very honored, excited, and surprised by this,” said Heath. “What my court does is an ongoing process trying to help folks here in this community.”

Colleen Kosinski, District Administrator for Guardian ad Litem submitted Heath’s nomination to the Lenoir County Alliance for a Healthy Community. Sonia Joyner, MSN, RN, and co-chair of the Alliance presented Heath with the award.

“When many of our courts shut down, Judge Heath and Judge Turik knew the importance of keeping our courts going, and we didn’t shut down,” said Kosinski. ”Our family court kept going.”

Members of the Alliance, Drug Court, and other members of the community were there in support of Heath. All of them managed to keep the event a surprise from Heath.

“The fact that all these folks are here supporting this means a lot to me,” said Heath. “I think this already has and will continue to translate into helping our program and the people that are taking part in it.”

Per their website, the Lenoir County Alliance for a Healthy Community is an umbrella community coalition that seeks to improve quality of life through promoting healthy living for all residents in Lenoir County by partnering with private, public, grassroots organizations and individual citizens.

Heath helped grow the Drug Court program by securing the Comprehensive Opioid Stimulant and Substance Abuse Program (COSAP) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) program grants that totaled more than $1.7 million dollars.

A form to nominate a person for the Healthy Community Hero Award can be found on Facebook here. Individuals or organizations that are selected will be recognized throughout the year and the award offers the particular opportunity to recognize a diversity of important work that often goes unsung in the life of a community