The Gainesville Jaycees honored Davis White and Hart Wilheit Payne on Thursday night as Young Man and Young Woman of the Year.

White, president of Full Media, has served with many nonprofits including serving on the board of Challenged Child and Friends Inc. for about nine years. He is now chairman of the 2010-2011 United Way of Hall County campaign, which wraps up at the end of March.

White said working with committed volunteers is part of what makes his work enjoyable. And being honored by the Jaycees for that work also put him in a group of special people, he said.

"It's just really a huge honor for me to be considered amongst so many great people who have made such amazing contributions to Hall County," White said.
Honored along with him was Payne who also volunteers
with many local organizations, including the Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Lakeview Academy. She's also a past president of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County.

Payne said she was flattered and surprised by the honor, but her service in the community comes naturally.

"When you grow up in a family like I did ... we just sort of grew up knowing that that's just kind of what you did," she said, adding that she's fortunate she can do so much volunteer work.

She spends many days working in the gift shop of the hospital, which is something she said she enjoys.

"Somebody can come in and they just want to unload,"
she said. "So it's nice to be able to listen and have an ear for them to talk to."

The Jaycees also honored Don Carter with the lifetime achievement award.

Carter served 29 years as a member of the Department of Natural Resources and is founder of Don Carter Realty.