By Donna Thornton/News Editor
Fred Sington Jr. occupied a sort of hot seat of honor Tuesday evening, as he was presented with the 2012 Spirit of Citizenship Award at a banquet and roast at the Senior Activity Center.
It’s not Sington’s first honor.
He has a string of athletic honors garnered during his days playing football at the University of Alabama – one of the reasons he was inducted into the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame.
But in bestowing the Spirit of Citizenship Award, the Family Success Center Board of Directors got beyond the gridiron, and found a long record of serving the city and surrounding community.
Center Director Marie Johnson said nominations come from the board of directors and they are reviewed carefully before the board makes a decision on who will receive the citizenship award.
“(Sington) really has demonstrated life-long service,” Johnson said.
After a stellar career at UA, where Sington was All SEC and All American Freshman, UPI Lineman of the Week, AP Back of the Week and received the Dr. Joseph Hirsch Award for the A Club member with the highest scholastic average for four years In 2000, he was awarded the Unsung Hero Award by the All American Football Foundation.
From 1965 to 1986, Sington was co-owner of Fred Sington Sporting Goods, for 19 years he was a part-time instructor at Gadsden State Community College, University of Alabama Upper Division and Jacksonville State University Upper Division.
He has held many positions in University of Alabama Alumni groups and since 1967, he’s been a high school and college sports broadcaster. Sington has been active in volunteer positions in the community. He has been president of the Boys and Girls Club Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce, a member and president of the Alabama Aviation Council.
Sington currently serves as the Manager/Consultant for the Northeast Alabama Regional Airport and is Chairman of the Gadsden Airport Authority.
From 2000 to 2004, Sington chaired the finance committee, and in 2006 was the Chairman of the Board of Stewards at the First United Methodist Church, where he and his wife of 53 years, Joyce, attend. They have three children: Lee, Cheryl and Fred III, and four grandchildren.