On Friday, at the Bay County Chamber First Friday breakfast, former Congressman and current Stand Up For North Florida Chairman Steve Southerland presented the first two 2019 North Florida Champion awards to Senator George Gainer and Representative Jay Trumbull. The North Florida Champion Award goes to the legislator or legislators who successfully, through advocacy and legislation, stand up for North Florida residents.
“North Florida experienced the devastation of Hurricane Michael in late 2018, and Senator Gainer and Representative Trumbull have worked tirelessly since then to keep the needs of hurricane victims at the top of their priority lists,” said Stand Up For North Florida Chairman Steve Southerland. “Both Senator Gainer and Representative Trumbull embody the characteristics with which the North Florida Champion Award is based on, and they deserve significant credit for standing up for all North Florida residents.”
Stand Up North Florida is a grassroots coalition of Floridians from North and Central Florida who believe that our region must be protected. The organization was founded on the belief that North Florida’s springs and natural resources must be given the same attention and funding as bodies of water to our south. The organization has grown to include many different issues that face North Florida residents, and each year the organization identifies the legislators who stood out as our champions.
