From: Sheriff Dane Kirby

On August 3, 2016 the Georgia Sheriff’s Association held their annual Awards Banquet in conjunction with the 2016 summer conference in Macon Georgia. The awards given were in the categories of Sheriff of the Year, Valor Award, Professional Contribution Award and Meritorious Service Award.

The Professional Contribution Award was given to Lt. Darvin Couch and Deputy Cindy George of the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office. These 2 outstanding Deputies are School Resource Deputies who have been serving with the Fannin County Sheriffs Office since 2003. During their years of service, they have both made tremendous sacrifices to insure that Fannin County has a really outstanding School Resource program and more specifically, a great CHAMPS program. Darvin and Cindy were recognized as pioneers of the CHAMPS program statewide here in Georgia. They have both been involved with the program since it’s very beginning in 2005 and developed a reputation over the years as having one of the very best programs of any Sheriffs Office. Because of their sincere belief in the importance of the instruction that the CHAMPS program provides to our 5th grade students at a very crucial transition point in their lives, Darvin and Cindy have been called upon to assist numerous other counties in starting their own program as well as advising on how the programs should be administered.

For these reasons, the Georgia Sheriffs Association chose to honor these 2 outstanding deputies for their years of hard work and dedication that has undoubtedly made a positive impact in the lives of many children, not only here in Fannin County, but across Georgia by presenting them with The Georgia Sheriffs Association’s 2016 Award of Professional Contribution.

Pictured from left: Sheriff Dane Kirby, Deputy Cindy George, Lt. Darvin Couch, President Sheriff Steve Wilson(Walker Co. Sheriff) and Executive Director Terry Norris