Jordon Receives 2010 Gramling Award

JONESBORO — The Jonesboro Rotary Club honored Christie Jordan, executive director of the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, with the James F. Gramling Service Above Self Award at the noon meeting on Tuesday.

In its 17th year, the annual award is the organization’s top honor and is not necessarily restricted to Rotary members.

“It’s our most prestigious award,” Rotary President Thom Beasley said.

It was named for Gramling, a Jonesboro orthodontist who was successful and active in the community, he said.

“The hardest part of the selection process,” Beasley previously said, “is narrowing down the field of individuals who stand out among the crowd.”

However, Jordan fits the bill.

“Christie Jordan is the recipient of the award for her continued support and work,” Beasley said. “She’s a pretty special lady.”

Jordan has been with the food bank for almost 13 years. She previously served as a community director for the March of Dimes in Fayetteville, Little Rock and Jonesboro.

“It is such an honor to be recognized by my fellow Rotarians, and I was so glad that Martha Gramling (widow of James Gramling) was able to come today,” Jordan said. “Martha Gramling and Mary Lee Marcom really took me under their wing when I first joined Rotary.

“But I have to say that the best part of today was my 5-year-old daughter giving me a big hug and saying, ‘Mommy, I am so proud of you.’”

An alumna of Arkansas State University, she holds a degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations.

Jordan has been a member of the Rotary Club of Jonesboro since 1999. She has served on the Arkansas Sportshow Committee since 2001 and is also a past chairman of the Arkansas Sportshow. She has served on the club’s board of directors, as club secretary and has chaired several committees.

She is also a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

In addition to Rotary activities, Jordan is a member of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Government Affairs Committee. She also is an active member of Leadership Link and has served on the group’s board of directors in various officer positions, including president.

She is a founding member of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and participates in education and advocacy efforts on issues surrounding domestic hunger. She serves as past president on the alliance’s board of trustees.

She has held various positions as a United Way volunteer beginning in 1998, as well.

Jordan received the Public Citizen of the Year by Arkansas Chapter National Association of Social Workers earlier this year.

She and her husband David have lived in Jonesboro for 12 years and are members of the Southwest Church of Christ, where they are active members of the missions committee. They have helped plan and participated in multiple mission trips to Guyana; Szolnok, Hungary; and Bucharest, Romania, Beasley said. The Jordan’s 5-year-old daughter is named Hannah.

On behalf of the Rotary Club, Beasley presented Jordan a $20,000 check as a donation to the food bank, the first of five installments from the civic organization.

The donation will be used as part of the “Building Hope ... Feeding the Hungry” capital campaign. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation has awarded the food bank a $7.9 million grant to build, furnish and equip a charitable food distribution center.

The food bank must raise $1.6 million in matching funds. In preparation for the construction project, the capital campaign was launched.

“Today’s gift from the Rotary Club of Jonesboro was the first payment of its $100,000 pledge of helping us build a new food bank facility,” Jordan said.