By: Rachel Hawkins, NDG Staff Writer
Tony Grimes, president of the Irving – Carrollton NAACP Branch was honored with the High Spirited Citizen Award during the Feb. 28 Irving City Council meeting. Established by the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors in 1988, this award recognizes unsung heroes for their outstanding community accomplishments.
“This is certainly an honor,” Grimes said. “I would also like to thank the members of the NAACP. These are the folks who truly do the work. Its been a pleasure for me to serve in this community in the capacity that I have. I look forward to serving as your next district 6 school board trustee.”
Serving as the president since 2002, Grimes has formed multiple partnerships throughout both cities while increasing chapter membership and awareness.
“One of those partnerships includes the Irving Police Department, where he was instrumental in implementing the ‘Law Enforcement and You’ workshop that created a platform for police officers and the community to have a valuable dialog on how to handle encounters with police officers,” Rick Stopfer, City of Irving Mayor announced during the meeting.
Grimes also serves on the Irving Police Department board, as well as the Mayor’s Diversity Council and as a Deacon in training at the Antioch Christian Church in Irving.
While leading the NAACP branch, Grimes collaborated with a bank vice president to establish the F.I.C curriculum named “Money Smart.” This deals with budgeting and reiterates the basic structure of healthy personal finances.
Under Grimes leadership, the NAACP branch received the Alpha Phi Alpha Golden Legend Award, two honors from the City of Irving, a Texas Organization Project Service Award, and the Texas NAACP State Conference Torch Bearer Award.
