2025 Award Recipients

This award is given at the pleasure of the SEERA President, and is named in honor of Lawton Johnston's contributions to our sport and the southeast.

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The 2025 Lawton Johnston President's Award recipient is Theresa Valliant - congratulations!

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SEERA Acting President Laurie Underwood had the following to say on why Theresa is so deserving of this award:

"Life has a funny way of placing people in your path just when you need them. Before long, you find yourself wondering how you ever managed without them. This year's Lawton Johnston Award recipient is exactly that kind of person.

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Although this person has been involved in riding endurance in the Southeast since 2005, my first “what a great person” memory came at the 2010 National Championship Ride. I somehow found myself as the volunteer coordinator (Bugs Bunny’s term, “nave
young fool” definitely applied), and this person said yes. She worked enthusiastically and efficiently, and I knew that we’d found a keeper. 

 

Since then, you've seen her everywhere at Southeast rides, working tirelessly and
always with good cheer. Need a timer? Done. Need a pulse taker? No problem. Need a ride manager willing to put on a ride in southern North Carolina without subjecting the
volunteers to THIS (pull out mouse toy)? That may be an even tougher assignment than timing—but she handled it, too.

 

It is my great pleasure to present the 2025 Lawton Johnston President's Award to our hardworking Treasurer, the ultimate Jill-of-all-trades—and master of every one of
them—Theresa Valliant."

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Congratulations Theresa, and thank you for all you do!!