The fourth annual Diane Parker Community Award for 2023 was presented at Flat Rock City Council meeting on January 3, 2024. The 2023 winner was Jeremiah (Coach) North.
Coach North has been a distinguished, dedicated, and selfless volunteer to the City of Flat Rock. The presentation continued by saying that “Coach has been involved in multiple capacities for multiple organizations beginning in 1995 and continues today”. Jeremiah is a standing member of the Flat Rock Rotary working with no fewer than 6 churches and their community meals and soup kitchens. He is also one of the most active volunteers for Flat Rock Our Hometown and the Downtown Development Authority.
He has also raised funds for charities involving churches, children and other civic organizations such as the Flat Rock Athletic Boosters, Mimi’s Mission, Flat Rock Train Museum & Depot and the Flat Rock Historical Society, Toys for Tots and Soroptimist. Coach has also most recently supported the Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway. He estimates that he has raised over $100.000 for charity so far.
The Diane Parker Award is not the first award of this kind that Jeremiah has received. In 2021 he was recognized by his employer, US Steel, with the Martin Luther King Jr. United Service Award, which also included a monetary award which he promptly donated! Ask Coach why he works so hard and tirelessly, he will tell you that his commitment is deeply rooted in his faith; it is the right thing to do to not ask but to give to others. ALL.THE.TIME.
We thank Coach for his time, talent, selflessness and passion. Congratulations to Coach North from the City of Flat Rock, the Downtown Development Authority and all businesses and residents he has touched.
The previous three winners of this award were Diane Parker, Joe Pagano and Bill Barker.