2003 Kentucky PRIDE Award: Tribute to General James Bickford and Tony Turner
In 2002, PRIDE lost two visionary leaders. General James Bickford was the Secretary of the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet, and he co-founded the PRIDE initiative with Congressman Hal Rogers in 1997. He died of cancer in October. Tony Turner was the Vice President and Station Manager of WYMT-TV, and he served on the PRIDE Executive Committee from the beginning. He died in July from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
To honor these gentlemen, the PRIDE Board of Directors chose to present them with the Kentucky PRIDE Award posthumously. This award is given only when the Board determines that someone has distinguished himself through exceptional service and contributions to Kentucky.
Congressman Rogers presented the Kentucky PRIDE Awards. Shirley Bickford and Geraldine Turner accepted the awards on behalf of their late husbands. A video tribute to Mr. Bickford and Mr. Turner was shown, along with musical accompaniment by Kentucky Opry singers Kristen Everage Clutts and Ron Hanover.
Click here to watch the tribute and award presentation.
“I could not possibly list today all the contributions these men made to southern and eastern Kentucky,” Rogers said. “Of their many good works, I will highlight one thing as I present this award — they were vital to the creation and success of PRIDE.”
Bickford cofounded the PRIDE initiative with Rogers in 1997. At the time, he served as the Secretary of the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet. His leadership in cracking down on polluters was instrumental to PRIDE’s success. Bickford was a decorated military veteran and inductee into the Defense Logistics Agency Hall of Fame. He passed away October 25, 2002.
“I found a kindred spirit in General Bickford,” Rogers said. “When I first met him and heard his passion for cleaning up his native region, I realized that he was the ally I had been looking for to cleanup southern and eastern Kentucky.”
Turner was a leader in PRIDE since its inception. He was the first Chairman of the PRIDE Board of Directors and served on the Executive Committee until his death, June 30, 2002. Turner was the Six O’Clock Anchor, Vice President and Station Manager of WYMT-TV in Hazard. He received numerous awards for broadcast journalism and is remembered for using the public spotlight to improve the region.
“People loved and trusted Tony,” Rogers said. “When he became the PRIDE champion, then people decided there must be something to it. When he got involved, they got involved.”
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