Activate Selma Co-Founder Wins Prestigious Hobart Service Award

SELMA — Cindy Brookshire, co-founder of the volunteer-led nonprofit Activate Selma, has been honored with the Frances Finch Hobart Award for Voluntary Community Service.

The award, presented annually by the Johnston County Community Foundation (JCCF), recognizes a Johnston County resident whose service, volunteer leadership and commitment to community have made a lasting impact. Brookshire received the recognition during a surprise presentation Dec. 3 at the Rudy Theatre in Selma. JCCF Secretary Lorine Davis and President LaShawndra White joined her for the announcement.

The Frances Finch Hobart Award was established in 2006 to highlight individuals who strengthen their communities through time, talent and energy. Recipients are known for mobilizing volunteers, meeting community needs, and demonstrating vision, generosity and selflessness.

“Active and innovative volunteers are essential to the growth and success of Johnston County,” Hobart said. “Through her service to Activate Selma, and many other causes, Cindy Brookshire has set a wonderful example for our community.”

Brookshire helped launch Activate Selma in 2018 alongside Jeffery Hamilton, Donna Reid and Melissa Dooley as a grassroots effort focused on revitalizing downtown Selma. She has since dedicated thousands of volunteer hours planning, organizing and carrying out events and initiatives that encourage community involvement. Her contributions include helping create signature programs such as the Rockin’ on Raiford concert series and coordinating hundreds of events ranging from open mics and networking gatherings to community beautification efforts.

She also plays a leading role in facilitating weekly conversations and partnerships among residents, the Town of Selma, the Johnston County Visitors Bureau, the Johnston County Arts Council, local businesses, libraries and faith communities.

Brookshire authored A Heart for Selma: 12 Stories of Activate Selma NC, a book documenting the organization’s beginnings and the volunteers who chose to invest in their town. In addition, she writes a weekly community-wide email newsletter that keeps residents, activists and business owners informed and connected.

“Under Cindy’s steady, servant-hearted leadership, Activate Selma has flourished as a model grassroots movement in Johnston County,” said nominator Mike Jentes, chair of Activate Selma. He noted that the group has grown from four founding members to a network of more than 300, crediting Brookshire’s quiet persistence, collaborative spirit and ability to guide by example.

Beyond Activate Selma, Brookshire serves the county through several literary and arts organizations. She sits on the board of Neuse River Writers, a nonprofit formed in 2022 to support local authors and storytelling. She also serves as a regional representative for the North Carolina Writers’ Network, working to connect writers across eastern North Carolina. Brookshire is active with the Johnston County Arts Council and contributed to its recent publication Johnston County Creates: 50 Years of Creativity. She is also a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Smithfield.

As part of receiving the Hobart Award, Brookshire was invited to choose a local nonprofit to receive a $2,300 grant from the Frances Finch Hobart Award for Voluntary Community Service Fund. She selected Activate Selma to receive the contribution.

Founded in 1992, the Johnston County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation and is led by a local volunteer advisory board. JCCF builds community assets through permanent endowments, awards grants and provides leadership to support Johnston County. Board members include LaShawndra White, Rick Childrey, Lorine Davis, Don Boyette, Gwen Canady, Margaret W. DiNubila, Nancy Faber, Bill Galloway, Oliver Johnson, Suefan Johnson, Jeanelle McCain, Teresa McDonald and Betsy G. Whittington.

The North Carolina Community Foundation oversees more than 1,300 endowments totaling nearly $570 million in assets and has awarded more than $338 million in grants and scholarships, with a strong focus on supporting rural communities across the state.