Sometimes the lessons learned in childhood are carried over into adulthood to be used for the greater good.

Richard and Phyllis Leet learned early on about the power of giving back to their communities through the church and the Boy Scouts of America.

The couple were honored for their charitable efforts by the North Georgia Community Foundation on Thursday morning as the 2012 Philanthropists of the Year.

The foundation held its annual luncheon in the banquet hall of the First Baptist Church in Gainesville.

Each year, the Philanthropist of the Year award is given to individuals for their humanitarianism and good will.

A committee of Community Foundation board members and former recipients selects the finalists each year from a 15-county region in Northeast Georgia.

The Leets, originally from Missouri, have lived in the Gainesville area for more than 20 years and have been supporters of various organizations including Brenau University, the Boys Scouts of America, Elachee Nature Science Center, the Arts Council, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Gainesville First United Methodist Church.

Richard Leet told a crowd of more than 270 people he and his wife have always been interested in doing things for the communities they’ve lived in because of the lessons they were taught in church.

Leet was executive vice president of the Amoco Corp. But he also worked diligently supporting countless organizations everywhere he has lived. He served as president of the Boys Scouts of America in 1990.

Gainesville’s unique spirit of giving encouraged the Leets to get involved and support local organizations.

“I’ll say this about Gainesville, If it were not for the quality of the charities in this area, we would have not been as involved as we have been. We have run into so many unique situations and we haven’t run into all of them,” Leet said.

The crowd stood to applaud Leet as he walked on and off of the stage.

President of the North Georgia Community Foundation Jim Mathis honored Leet by reciting the Boy Scout Oath.

The foundation also honored another philanthropist for his generous spirit and leadership.

The first Woodrow Stewart Leadership in Philanthropy award was presented to his family. Stewart was known for his support of the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, and was instrumental in the building of the Ronnie Green Heart Center. Stewart died in January.

“Because of Woody we now have a culture of philanthropy here that will be passed down through the generations. We are all better people and the community in which we live is immeasurably better because we had the privilege of knowing him,” said Jim Coyle, past North Georgia Community Foundation chairman.