HIGH POINT — More than 300 people turned out for the 55th annual St. Patrick’s Day Tea at the Pennybyrn Retirement Community in High Point on March 12, where Sister Lucy Hennessy was surprised with the state’s Long Leaf Pine Award, the most prestigious award conferred by the governor of North Carolina.
It is awarded for exemplary service to the state and one’s community and only bestowed on some of North Carolina’s most prominent citizens. Sister Lucy, who hails from Ireland, serves as mission leader and chair of the board of directors at Pennybyrn and has led the community of more than 450 residents for over 30 years. N.C. Sen. Michael Garrett presented the award at the event, which mostly served Irish Coffee as well as tea, courtesy of the Knights of Columbus.
Among those in attendance were residents, staff, volunteers, donors, priests and religious. N.C. Governor Roy Cooper signed the award, with the official words:
“Reposing special confidence in the integrity, learning and zeal of Sister Lucy Hennessy, I do by these presents confer The Order of the Long Leaf Pine with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary privileged to enjoy fully all rights granted to members of this exalted order among which is the special privilege to propose the following North Carolina Toast in select company anywhere in the free world: ‘Here’s to the land of the long leaf pine / The summer land where the sun doth shine / Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great / Here’s to “down home,” the Old North State!’”
— Catholic News Herald