GAINESVILLE - For the third year, Gainesville High School will confer three honorary high school diplomas to Gainevillians who are not graduates of GHS and who have had a positive impact on the community.
Margie Braff, Don Brewer and Kit Dunlap will march with the Class of 2011 Friday to accept the prized honor.
Braff, a Minnesota native, moved to Gainesville in 1974 with her husband, Bob, and four children. She is active in St. Michael's Catholic Church, serving as religion supply coordinator, women's guild president and parish council president through the years. She is a member and former chairman of Centerpoint (Christian Education Center, Inc.), founding board member of the Gainesville Boosters Club, volunteer with Hall County citizens review foster care panel, volunteer with Hall County food pantry, Northeast Georgia Medical Center auxiliary, Red Cross volunteer and regular volunteer and mentor at Centennial and Mount Vernon Elementary schools. Their four children are GHS graduates.
Brewer taught physical education and coached basketball and baseball at Gainesville High beginning in 1969 after moving from Cherokee County. Additionally, he coached the Post 7 American Legion baseball team to numerous state titles and an appearance in the World Series. Don mentors area athletes and coaches. He and his wife, Joey, are active in First Baptist Church and have two sons who are GHS graduates.
Dunlap, an Alabama native, moved to Gainesville when she enrolled at Brenau College. Since 1998, she has been the president/CEO of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. A former member and chairman of the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism board, she is also a founding member of the Gainesville-Hall Economic Development Council and serves on the boards of the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, SunTrust Bank and Brenau University. She chairs the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District board. She helped organize the successful passage of referenda for schools' capital needs (ESPLOST), trains high school students through Youth Leadership Hall and sponsors local business initiatives for students. Her two children are GHS graduates.
Gainesville High School principal Chris Mance and Superintendent Merrianne Dyer will confer the honorary diplomas. Each year, GHS awards the diplomas to individuals who make a notable contribution of time, talent or resources to GHS or one who inspires and encourages GHS students or alumni or one who achieves state or national prominence. Nominees must not have graduated from a Gainesville city school, must be living and support the mission of the school. Annual selections are made by the Gainesville High Governance Council, a panel of faculty, parents and administrators. Begun in 2007 as a first-in-the-nation ceremony, these three bring the total honorary diplomas to ten.
The commencement ceremony for the class of 2011 will be held Friday in the Gainesville High gym.
Tuesday
October 15th, 2024
4:19AM
