From John Martin Arnett
Mayor James “Pete” Shepherd has announced that the city and county will establish a new award to recognize those who have worked to improve the lives of the citizens of Salyersville and Magoffin County and to memorialize Carter Conley, the long-time leader of the Magoffin County Rescue Squad.
“The Carter Conley Memorial Hometown Hero Award will be given annually to residents who have given their time, talents, skills and energies to making this a better place to live, or making our lives easier and better”, said Shepherd.
The first recipient of the Hometown Hero award will be musician Terry Miller.
“Terry Miller has enriched the lives of thousands of Magoffin County’s people over the last fifty years. Proms, parties, family gatherings, funerals, Founders Days and Community Days, it seems that just about everyone has been touched by Terry’s music at some point in their lives”, said Shepherd.
Miller, 66, is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter noted for his long stint fronting the Dixie Bridge Band with siblings Debbie Allen and Sam Miller, bandmates Doug Joseph, John Randall Salyer and others.
The late Carter Conley, who founded and led the rescue Squad since 1976, passed away in September, 2021 from complications of COVID-19. His lifetime of commitment to the people of Magoffin County serves as a model for others.
“We just honored our Healthcare Pioneers, Joann Arnett, Roy Conley, Bertie Kaye Salyer and Mildred Sizemore, during Founders Day. We think uplifting the people who make Salyersville and Magoffin County better today are just as important as the city’s founders. Contributions through civic works, the arts, volunteerism, leadership and quality of life issues should be acknowledged, too”, said County Judge Executive Matthew Wireman.
A free community concert to celebrate the Hometown Hero Award is scheduled for Saturday, October 1st at City Park from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. The event, billed as Terry Miller’s Hometown Jam will feature Miller, special musical guests and local favorites Zoe Howard and Yellow Line.
The concert is produced by MCHS79, Inc., a part of the Magoffin County High School Gold Ring Class of 1979.
