Jones County’s first responders were honored with an appreciation dinner that included recognizing their former EMA director, who recently retired.

The appreciation dinner was held Aug. 9 at Bradley Baptist Church. Jones County Fire Chief Thomas Coleman gave the welcome to the event and introduced Commissioner Sam Kitchens, who is vice chairman of the Jones County Board of Commissioners.

Kitchens thanked the first responders on behalf of the county and commissioners.

“We appreciate what you do. You don’t do this for a paycheck; it’s a calling,” he said. “As commissioners, we need to give you the resources you need.”

Coleman invited Lt. Steve Hall to speak about the coming up observation of 9/11.

Hall said Jones County joined the memorial climb up Stone Mountain in 2021. He said the climb was started by the Fayetteville Fire Department 10 years ago.

“We joined 100 others on the march,” he said.

Hall invited all first responders to join the climb this year.

“Last year we had 20 agencies represented,” he said. “It was quite an event.”

Hall said memories are created every year. He recalled a young first responder who participated in the memorial last year in full gear. The lieutenant said they young man was laboring, and the other marchers assisted him to the top of the mountain.

“We later found out he was 12 years old and participated in the climb in honor of his father,” he said. “We do this for you and all law enforcement across the United States,” Hall said members of the Gray Fire Department joined the climb last year and are planning to come again.

Hall said the climb starts at the base of the mountain at 9 a.m. and is led by a first responder playing a bagpipe with a prayer service at the top.

The lieutenant asked anyone wanting to join the climb to contact him the Monday before the climb.

At the conclusion of the dinner, service awards were announced. Karen McMichael retired from her position of EMA director July 31. She has worked for Jones County EMA for more than 19 years. McMichael served as interim director when the former director, Don Graham, retired. She was named as director in August of 2024.

McMichael volunteered with Jones County Rescue before her employment and was honored for her 40 years of public service at the event.

“I’ve worked since 2008 in a job I truly loved. It was a pleasure working with each and every one of you,” she said.

At the conclusion of the service awards, Coleman announced Hall as the Fire Officer of the Year and David McCullough as Firefighter/Support of the Year.