FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Booch DeMarchi, Lee County Public Resources
             (941) 335-2481

FORT MYERS' SAM GALLOWAY JR.
NAMED LEE COUNTY "CITIZEN OF THE YEAR"

FORT MYERS, Fla. (February 18, 2003) - The Board of Lee County Commissioners announced today that it has selected Sam Galloway Jr. of Fort Myers as the winner of the Paulette Burton "Citizen Of The Year" Award for 2002. Galloway is the 15th recipient of the award.

Galloway was selected for his tireless efforts in working with the Thomas Edison/Henry Ford Winter Estates, Edison Festival of Light Pageant, Holiday Sing - Long, Community Cooperation Ministries & Soup Kitchen, and American Cancer Society "Walkie/Talkie" Walk.

The finalists for the 2002 award were: Nancy Goodwin (Matlacha), Bob Scott (Fort Myers), Carl Skinner (Fort Myers) and Mimi Straub (Estero).

The award is given each year to a citizen who has exhibited outstanding civic contributions to Lee County. The award was created in 1991 and named after Paulette Burton, a longtime Sanibel resident and political activist who died in a 1991 car accident. The selection criteria include having a positive attitude, knowledge of the objectives and activities of Lee County government, demonstrating an interest in community/county government partnerships and promoting harmony between the community and county government.

Past winners are: Hannah Davis (1991), Israel Suarez (92), Ed and Sylvia Blue (93), P. Michael Villalobos (94), Bill Davis and Duera Mae Everett (95), Judy Jenkins (96), Dr. Lee Duffus (97), Roberta Morgan (98), Jim and Ellie Newton (99), Dodie Booher (2000) and Fran Myers (2001).

The Board of County Commissioners selected a six-member screening committee that narrowed the 11 nominations to the five finalists. Commissioners selected the winner.