Social distancing became a commonly used term, a mask mandate was implemented locally, shops large and small were shuttered in the spring, and there was no Greene County Fair or Greeneville Christmas Parade.
These are just some of the ways that life changed in Greene County due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which dominated almost every aspect of life beginning in March when the first coronavirus case was reported locally and was selected by The Greenville Sunâs news staff as the top local story of 2020.
Other top stories were record-setting precipitation that caused extensive flooding early in the year, the November elections and a fire that claimed the life of one child and forever altered the life of another.
Daniel Johnson won top âSpirit Starâ honors in the 2020 Volunteer Spirit Awards program that honored a dozen âunsung hero volunteers in our community,â said Paul Mauney, publisher of The Greeneville Sun, which co-sponsors the annual program with the family of the late John M. Jones and Arne Susong Jones.
Volunteer Spirit Awards are administrated and coordinated by Youth Builders of Greeneville, Inc., with about $5,000 in cash prizes, plaques and certificates provided by the sponsors.
A member of the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County for 18 years, Johnson was specially recognized with the Spirit Star for his volunteerism with the organization.