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>> [MUSIC] I'm positive we got

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the worth ethic from our
parents because when

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you see someone like my father

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whose back was broken
and who didn't give up.

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So I am sure it was
just understood

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that all of us were
going to do our share.

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In our family, that
was the way it was.

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>> Audrey Morgan has
done her share and more.

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As the 1995 recipient of the

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Scott Candler Senior
Mr. DeKalb Award,

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we honor Audrey for

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her accomplishments and
contributions to our community.

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>> As chairman of
the Advisory Board,

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our responsibility is to select
the Mr. DeKalb each year.

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Tonight's honoree is
probably the most

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deserving of all of those
we've chosen over the years.

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Audrey has been involved in

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more good causes than
any person I know.

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She's probably raised
more money for

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good causes in the DeKalb
County than anybody I know.

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If you want money raised,

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you want it done well,

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properly organized,
well thought out,

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call on Audrey,
she'll get it done.

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>> Audrey's commitment to
helping others began at

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the age of seven when

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her family's home
burned to the ground.

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Because of the support of
friends and neighbors,

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the Bailey family was able to

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rebuild their lives
and move to Atlanta.

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>> We come from a large family,

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four boys and four girls.

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And Audrey, of course,

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is very special to all of
us and always has been.

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She's the best friend I have.

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And we have grown up together.

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We have all been close and
the family stayed together.

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But if I had one
wish today, I guess,

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I would wish for all
of you in this room

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00:02:16,750 --> 00:02:19,475
and anywhere that you had
a sister like Audrey.

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>> When Audrey talks
about growing up,

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she never fails to mention
her second family,

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who proved to be
a great influence

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on the rest of her life.

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00:02:28,185 --> 00:02:31,410
>> Because of a
series of events that

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happened in the Bailey
family and in my family,

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00:02:34,670 --> 00:02:40,495
the Harper family, Audrey
came to live with my parents,

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00:02:40,495 --> 00:02:42,530
about the same time I left

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in January to return to college.

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So Audrey began to call
my parents Paul and May,

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and I began to call
her my sister.

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It's an amazing
privilege to have

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a close friend for 48 years.

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But then even more
amazing to have

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such a wonderful
friend as Audrey.

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>> In my early years,

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literally, school and
church were my life.

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That was where I received
the grounding for my values.

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And then when I went to
live with May and Paul,

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they not only went to church,

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they lived the
Christian principles.

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So they made a major
difference in my life.

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In fact, I always
said if I could be

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half the woman May
was, I'd be a success.

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>> Audrey had a
determination and

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a willingness to
sacrifice for her goals.

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She wanted an education.

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00:03:46,910 --> 00:03:49,870
First, she wanted to
finish high school,

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and she had hopes of
even more than that.

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00:03:53,285 --> 00:03:55,750
>> It was because of
May and Paul that

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Audrey was able to attend
college with a scholarship,

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and ultimately meet Jack Morgan.

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They married in 1950 and

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00:04:02,990 --> 00:04:05,430
set out to build a future
with their two children.

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00:04:05,430 --> 00:04:07,590
In 1960, Bobby asked

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00:04:07,590 --> 00:04:10,190
Audrey and Jack to return
to Atlanta from Detroit,

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and join her in starting

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00:04:11,450 --> 00:04:13,170
a new company from
the ground up,

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in an old clear two
story brick building

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00:04:15,490 --> 00:04:17,215
on North Highland Avenue.

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00:04:17,215 --> 00:04:20,540
Through the years, she's
helped our way grow into

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the nation's largest
independent remanufacturer of

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00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,100
commercial air conditioning
and refrigeration compressors.

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00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:30,580
>> Audrey and her sister
together have one of

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the great American
business success stories

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00:04:34,220 --> 00:04:36,010
that many people
don't know about.

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00:04:36,010 --> 00:04:39,675
But here you have
two women sisters

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00:04:39,675 --> 00:04:42,700
who have built a major company

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00:04:42,700 --> 00:04:44,760
in this country from scratch.

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Relationship between
Audrey, her company,

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00:04:48,010 --> 00:04:51,555
Our-Way and Copeland
goes back some 30 years.

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00:04:51,555 --> 00:04:53,560
It was easy to tell when I

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00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,380
first met Audrey
that she was very

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00:04:55,380 --> 00:04:57,220
involved and very interested in

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00:04:57,220 --> 00:04:59,520
her business and
in her customers.

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00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,700
But I also learned
very quickly that she

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00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:04,595
was also very
interested in people.

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00:05:04,595 --> 00:05:07,610
Her contributions
through the years in

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00:05:07,610 --> 00:05:09,670
various community volunteer

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00:05:09,670 --> 00:05:11,995
organizations has
been significant.

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>> Audrey has gained
a reputation as

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a consummate business
person, a wife,

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00:05:16,670 --> 00:05:19,230
mother, grandmother, and one of

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the strongest volunteer leaders

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00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,290
DeKalb County has ever seen.

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00:05:23,290 --> 00:05:26,030
>> You have to give
back, and actually,

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00:05:26,030 --> 00:05:28,150
giving back isn't
the proper answer

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00:05:28,150 --> 00:05:30,550
because you can never give
back to those individuals.

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What you have to
do is get forward.

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You have to give
forward to the next

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00:05:34,230 --> 00:05:35,770
generation and to
those that don't

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have the opportunities that

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00:05:37,570 --> 00:05:39,400
you may have had in coming up.

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The other thing I
learned is that

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anything is possible if you have

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00:05:42,590 --> 00:05:46,070
the daring and the wherewithal
to go out and go for it.

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>> I always wanted to help

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make other people's life a
little better if I could,

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and especially in education

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because it had meant
so much to me.

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So as soon as we were able,

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we set up a scholarship

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00:06:00,750 --> 00:06:02,190
for disadvantaged young people

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over at Hoke Smith High School,

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and that was the beginning.

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And then when that
became difficult for

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us to do on a personal basis,

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we put the scholarship with

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00:06:14,590 --> 00:06:16,235
the Southern Christian
Children's Home

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00:06:16,235 --> 00:06:18,485
and let them
administer it there.

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>> I first met Audrey in

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the early 80s working on

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the board at Southern
Christian Children's home.

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And I remember thinking
what an attractive,

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00:06:26,540 --> 00:06:28,640
shy lady at first,

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00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,440
but I soon found out that

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00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,990
she was definitely
attractive but not shy.

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And in her dealings

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00:06:35,820 --> 00:06:37,380
on the board at Southern
Christian Home,

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00:06:37,380 --> 00:06:38,920
she started Children's Week,

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00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,600
which was a week to
bring the focus,

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00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,340
I guess you'd say on
children who had problems.

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00:06:45,340 --> 00:06:48,940
She brought that
wonderful business sense

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00:06:48,940 --> 00:06:51,465
that a lot of us didn't
have that were volunteers.

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00:06:51,465 --> 00:06:53,060
>> Many years ago, Audrey and

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00:06:53,060 --> 00:06:55,640
I both were serving
on the Haeart Board.

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One morning at an
8:00 o'clock meeting,

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Audrey presented a plan
for a new fundraiser.

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00:07:02,250 --> 00:07:04,210
When she finished,
she asked for faults,

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00:07:04,210 --> 00:07:07,390
and I proceeded to do what
I really detest in people,

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00:07:07,390 --> 00:07:09,550
which is to tear down

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00:07:09,550 --> 00:07:12,170
her idea without giving
her any new ideas.

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I was really mad at myself and I

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decided that morning
that if Audrey

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00:07:16,410 --> 00:07:18,375
came up with a dog
fight at the corner of

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00:07:18,375 --> 00:07:21,350
Briacliff and Lavista,
I would help her.

157
00:07:21,350 --> 00:07:24,830
Fortunately, she came up
with the Fashion for Heart,

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00:07:24,830 --> 00:07:27,710
which has just finished
its eighth year and raised

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00:07:27,710 --> 00:07:30,765
over $150,000 for the
Heart Association.

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>> And Audrey, being the
typical go getter that she is,

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00:07:34,660 --> 00:07:38,060
took that on as her
challenge to create not

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00:07:38,060 --> 00:07:42,310
just a event but the fashion
show for Metro Atlanta,

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and one of the events for

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any charitable
organization in Atlanta.

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>> As the director for

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the DeKalb County Division of

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the American Heart Association,

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00:07:53,210 --> 00:07:57,010
we're so happy that we
have Audrey as our honoree

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00:07:57,010 --> 00:08:01,025
this year for the Scott
Candler Mr. DeKalb event.

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00:08:01,025 --> 00:08:04,440
Audrey has been an
outstanding volunteer for us.

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00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,270
The Mr. DeKalb event
is perhaps one of

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00:08:07,270 --> 00:08:10,930
the most important events that
we have for fund raising,

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00:08:10,930 --> 00:08:12,870
and I think that Audrey was

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00:08:12,870 --> 00:08:15,510
the first volunteer to see
that this event raised over

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00:08:15,510 --> 00:08:20,850
$100,000 when she chaired it
for the first time in 1992.

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00:08:20,850 --> 00:08:23,840
>> Audrey joined the DeKalb
Medical Center Board and

177
00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,660
also Dekalb Regional
Healthcare System Board

178
00:08:26,660 --> 00:08:28,600
in August of 1993.

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She's been a real
asset to our board.

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She admits her
limited background

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in medical and
hospital activities,

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but her community and

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00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,020
her business
involvement more than

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00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:43,100
makes up for that lack of

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experience when issues at

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the hospital and the
medical center develop.

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And she has jumped right
in on many occasions,

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and I think it has
helped clarify

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00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,660
some of our issues with
her outside perspective.

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00:08:59,660 --> 00:09:03,340
>> I was approached by the
Atlanta Olympic Committee to

191
00:09:03,340 --> 00:09:08,370
raise money at the last
minute in DeKalb County.

192
00:09:08,370 --> 00:09:12,850
This money raising was
critical because the AOC had

193
00:09:12,850 --> 00:09:14,610
run out of money
and still had to go

194
00:09:14,610 --> 00:09:17,390
to Tokyo to make the
bid presentation.

195
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They asked me to do
it, and I said, well,

196
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let me think about it,

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00:09:21,630 --> 00:09:23,990
and I'll do it only
under one condition,

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and that is if I can
get Audrey Morgan to

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00:09:26,690 --> 00:09:30,095
actually do it because nobody
can do it like Audrey can.

200
00:09:30,095 --> 00:09:32,070
>> Audrey was really
the ring leader

201
00:09:32,070 --> 00:09:33,530
of the entire effort.

202
00:09:33,530 --> 00:09:35,870
She really knew how
to mobilize people,

203
00:09:35,870 --> 00:09:38,830
and she knew all the key
players and in the county.

204
00:09:38,830 --> 00:09:41,930
She knew the people to go
to that were like her,

205
00:09:41,930 --> 00:09:43,550
that would make things happen

206
00:09:43,550 --> 00:09:45,365
and make them happen
successfully.

207
00:09:45,365 --> 00:09:47,920
>> And Audrey, when you

208
00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,240
get involved in
something for our way,

209
00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,380
that means all of our
way gets involved.

210
00:09:54,380 --> 00:09:57,260
I'm thinking perhaps
the Olympics

211
00:09:57,260 --> 00:10:00,310
where we raised money
for the Olympics,

212
00:10:00,310 --> 00:10:03,825
a committee during
the summer of '90,

213
00:10:03,825 --> 00:10:07,905
we wound up working full-time
for them for that summer.

214
00:10:07,905 --> 00:10:11,660
And I can think of the
American Cancer Society and

215
00:10:11,660 --> 00:10:13,660
the American Heart Association

216
00:10:13,660 --> 00:10:16,860
and all of the involvement
you've had and we've had,

217
00:10:16,860 --> 00:10:18,455
but it's all been worthwhile.

218
00:10:18,455 --> 00:10:21,860
>> She personifies what
a volunteer should be.

219
00:10:21,860 --> 00:10:27,120
She is dedicated, organized,
efficient, very effective.

220
00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,360
Any board that she has ever

221
00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,395
served on is delighted
to have her,

222
00:10:32,395 --> 00:10:35,160
and whatever services they

223
00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:36,555
can get from her,
they will take.

224
00:10:36,555 --> 00:10:40,805
>> She's a real
organized and focused.

225
00:10:40,805 --> 00:10:44,600
She usually has an
agenda and a schedule.

226
00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,180
That's one real
strength that she has.

227
00:10:47,180 --> 00:10:48,200
The other strength is she

228
00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,875
knows an incredible
number of people,

229
00:10:50,875 --> 00:10:52,400
and has worked with and has

230
00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,500
a personal and professional
relationship with Audrey.

231
00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:58,500
>> Audrey is such
a humble person.

232
00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:02,820
Even though she has accomplished
so much in her life,

233
00:11:02,820 --> 00:11:06,070
she probably still can't
believe that anybody really

234
00:11:06,070 --> 00:11:09,450
would want to recognize her
for a distinction like that.

235
00:11:09,450 --> 00:11:12,730
>> She has that wonderful way
of asking without begging,

236
00:11:12,730 --> 00:11:14,210
and making you feel that

237
00:11:14,210 --> 00:11:15,850
you're important
in that project,

238
00:11:15,850 --> 00:11:17,870
and therefore, the
project is going to be

239
00:11:17,870 --> 00:11:20,515
successful if you feel like
you're necessary to it.

240
00:11:20,515 --> 00:11:24,450
>> I'm always amazed at how
well organized Audrey is.

241
00:11:24,450 --> 00:11:26,930
She never seems to get
flustered about anything

242
00:11:26,930 --> 00:11:29,780
and follows up on every detail.

243
00:11:29,780 --> 00:11:33,400
And I like to think of her as
being a role model for me,

244
00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,440
a professional woman who has

245
00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,600
managed both her family
and her profession,

246
00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,130
as well as her
volunteer experiences

247
00:11:41,130 --> 00:11:42,345
which were important to her.

248
00:11:42,345 --> 00:11:46,320
>> On behalf of DeKalb
County's, 577,000 citizens,

249
00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,460
I want to thank you for
everything that you

250
00:11:48,460 --> 00:11:51,560
continue to do to make
our county the very best.

251
00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:53,100
You're a true partner,

252
00:11:53,100 --> 00:11:55,220
not only with the
business community,

253
00:11:55,220 --> 00:11:56,520
but with government, and

254
00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,520
the many organizations
that you've helped.

255
00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,220
You have made DeKalb
County the very best.

256
00:12:03,220 --> 00:12:09,555
Your energies are what
everyone admires so very much.

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>> We know that you care,
that you get involved,

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that you solve problems.

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I've discovered why no one can
turn you down when you put

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the arm on your friends to

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help with this activity or that,

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because you never
turn others down.

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And so on this night
of recognition

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for you, and yes for Jack,

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I'm proud to add my voice of

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appreciation for
all you have done

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for this county that
I've been privileged to

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call home for 25 years.

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I'm also pleased that
your civic leadership

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has been recognized for
your many years of efforts.

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00:12:39,820 --> 00:12:42,750
Congratulations, Madam First
Citizen, and thank you.

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00:12:42,750 --> 00:12:43,920
>> A lot of the miracles

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there are because of
volunteers like you and

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00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:50,180
me out there working
and raising the funds.

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When I believe in
something very strongly,

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it gives me the ability to do

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or to save whatever I need to.

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And so watch out.

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If I believe in it,
I'm relentless.