Elon alum wins Thomasville, N.C., Chamber of Commerce award

Sam Barefoot ’79, treasurer and chief financial officer of the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, has received the Outstanding Citizen Award by the Thomasville, N.C. Chamber of Commerce. Barefoot joined the BCH business staff as assistant treasurer in 1981 after earning a business administration degree with an accounting emphasis from Elon. He currently oversees all aspects of BCH’s financial operations, and as a member of the President’s Management Group. Founded in Thomasville in 1885, BCH is a nonprofit organization providing residential placement and prevention services to help children and families across the state.

For years Barefoot has combined the demands of his job with a busy volunteer schedule.

He is on the executive committee of the Tom A. Finch YMCA, where he has also served as treasurer and president, and has often been a volunteer coach.

At East Davidson High School, he chairs the Academy of Finance, a new program for students interested in financial careers, and has also served on the advisory board and the coach search committee. At Brown Middle School, he served as an advisory board member and Parent Teacher Organization president. In other school-related activity, he has served as president and recently returned to the board of the Davidson County Education Foundation.

He served several years as a Cub Scout leader and taught sixth-graders in Sunday school at Green Street Baptist Church.

He has served as chairman and treasurer of the Salvation Army board, on the board of Family Services of Davidson County and on the United Way Budget and Allocation Committee.

As for more adult-focused activities, Barefoot is a member of the Thomasville Medical Center board and has served as president of the Thomasville Rotary Club and treasurer of the Rotary district. He also has served as a board member and treasurer of the Thomasville chamber.

For more on the story, read a report by the Thomasville Dispatch at the link below…