On September 10, Gov. Perdue presented the Long Leaf Pine award to Roy McGalliard, a teacher at Western Piedmont Community College. Here is an excerpt of Gov. Perdue’s remarks:
“Roy was a state employee at Western Piedmont Community College from 1969 to 1994, where he taught English and drama, among other things.
He’s been a SEANC member since 1972. Now this is a man who is dedicated to North Carolina.
If you ask Roy why he chose to be a state employee for so long he’ll tell you about the time back in 1981 when he had a heart attack. Roy had a heart attack while sitting in a car at a local gas station. When a police officer arrived on the scene it was one of his former students.
When he got into the ER the two nurses that attended to him were both former students. And as the Doctor approached, he looked down and asked, "Well Mr. McGalliard, I guess this means no American Lit class tonight." Wouldn’t you know it; the ER Doctor was one of his current students.
This story illustrates a simple fact about Roy and about all North Carolina’s state employees.
State employees make a difference for our citizens — plain and simple. So today, it’s my privilege to induct Roy into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the highest honors our state can bestow.”
