Needhams win R.O. Arnold Award for Service
The Needham’s on their way up to the podium to receive the Arnold award.
Needhams win R.O. Arnold Award for Service
from the Newton Citizen, Jan 22, 2009
Crystal Tatum, staff reporter
COVINGTON – Ed and Nonie Needham received the R.O. Arnold Award at the Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, held Tuesday night at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center.
Considered to be the most prestigious honor a Newton County resident can receive, the award recognizes a lifetime of community involvement and achievement.
The Needhams were nominated by Bill Loeble, chief operating officer of Beaver Manufacturing, which was started in Mansfield by the couple in 1971.
“This couple has richly shared the success of their company with the community,” Loeble said. “Since early on, their passion for community service has manifested itself through the arts and education.”
In their efforts to improve education for local children, the Needhams were responsible for the construction of 100 picture lap books that were distributed throughout Newton County schools; have been a partner in education at Mansfield Elementary School, established the Sophomore Excellence Leadership Forum, and have made donations to Smart Technology at Georgia Perimeter College and the Police Academy at DeKalb Technical College.
They also donated land for Beaver Park in Mansfield and for a new county fire station.
The couple is active members of First United Methodist Church.
“Although keeping a low profile, this couple has worked tirelessly over these 40 years for the betterment of the quality of life in all (of) Newton County,” Loeble said.
The Needhams moved to Covington in 1969 and opened Beaver Manufacturing, which supplies industrial fibers, two years later. The company today is a global leader in its product line and provides more than 130 jobs to the community.
“We have only done what has meant so much to us,” Nonie Needham said during her acceptance speech. “It has given us so much pleasure, we feel a little guilty that we would receive an award for doing it.”
