Carl and Susan Persis to be Honored as 2018 Humanitarians of the Year

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Feb. 27, 2018 - PRLog -- The Harry Anna Trust Foundation is pleased to announce that Carl and Susan Persis will honored as Humanitarians of the Year for 2018. A gala in their honor will be held on May 12, 2018 at 5:30pm at the Daytona Beach Hilton, 100 North Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, FL.

"This is our fifth annual banquet and our organization felt that both Carl and Susan Persis were more than worthy honorees for their long-standing work with the youth in our community, a major focus of the Elks Association," said Melissa Niemann, Event Coordinator. Last year's banquet sold over 250 tickets, and raised nearly $100,000 for the Florida Elks Youth Camp, Florida Elks Children Therapy Services, Army of Hope, and Hope Scholarships, all helping families of the military deployed. Past recipients of the Humanitarian of the Year have included Dr. Michelle Carter, Dr. Pam Carbiener, Gloria Max and L. Gale Lemerand.

Tickets are $75 each and include dinner, silent and live auctions, a cigar roller, live entertainment, casino tables, best costume contest, and including the Mad Hatter Ball Band from Epcot. Tickets and information can be found at www.HarryAnnaTrust.org or by calling 386-299-9422.

Sponsors of the event to date include; Hyatt & Cici Brown, Lewis Heaster Properties, Highlander Corporation, Lohman Properties, Houligan's/Stonewood Grill & Tavern/Peach Valley, Adams Cameron, Jon Hall Chevrolet, Hyde Park Storage Suites, Chanfrau & Chanfrau, Odyssey Travel, Daytona International Auto Mall, and Champion Container Corporation.

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About Carl Persis

Carl has lived in Volusia County since 1956 and graduated from Seabreeze High School, Daytona State College, the University of Central Florida, and went on to earn his Masters in Educational Leadership from Stetson University.

Carl began his educational career in Volusia County in 1975 and went on to serve in education in the local community for 40 years. Thirty of those years were as a principal at the elementary and middle school levels. Now in his sixteenth year of elected public service, he was elected/appointed to various City and County positions including serving as an Ormond Beach City Commissioner, the Mayor of Ormond Beach, Volusia County Councilman, Volusia County School Board Member, District 4, and Daytona Beach Racing, Recreational & Facilities District. He was the first and only principal in Volusia County to serve as a mayor and a principal at the same time.

Carl also finds time to serve various nonprofit organizations in the area including serving as a board member on the Halifax Health Foundation, President-Elect of the Tiger Bay Club of Volusia County, a Leadership Team Member for the Halifax Humane Society Capital Foundation, and is currently serving on the school board and DBRRFD, and he is also a Phi Delta Kappa Educational Organization Member. He was also recently appointed to serve as a member of the Grievance Committee for the 7^th District Judicial Circuit.

About Susan Summer Persis

Susan was born in Daytona Beach and graduated from Seabreeze High School, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Florida State University and a Master in Educational Leadership Degree from Nova University.

Now in her forty-first year as an educator, Susan taught elementary and middle school students for 15 years at six different schools. She became an assistant principal and served at both the elementary and secondary level for nine years at three different schools. Susan served as principal at two elementary schools over a 15-year span, and was the first person to serve as the principal of two schools at the same time for an entire year.

In 2015, Susan was the recipient of the State of Florida Innovative Principal of the Year award. She also served as the state president of the Florida School Administrators Association.

Most recently, she was appointed to serve on the City of Ormond Beach 'Quality of Life' Board, and serves as a Daytona State College adjunct professor supervising and teaching interns.