Division of Prisons honors volunteer of the year

RALEIGH – Benjamin Maxwell (Max) Lancaster was honored as the 2001 Volunteer of the Year for the Division of Prisons during an awards luncheon today at Brownstone Hotel on Hillsborough Street.

A retired assistant superintendent for schools in Halifax County, Lancaster has served Odom Correctional Institution primarily as a religious volunteer for 35 years. He is currently active in worship leadership, serves as a Bible study teacher and has sponsored inmates on community leave passes. Lancaster has also helped inmates find employment and places to live upon release from prison, initiated a holiday gift-giving program for inmates and recruited other volunteers to work in the prison.

"Many of the things that Max does are ‘behind the scenes’ and unless you know Max, you would never know the source of the many donations to prison ministries that impact Odom’s inmate population," said Alma Hux, assistant superintendent at Odom. "Max is a very humble man who is dedicated his life to his church and his prison ministry."

Lancaster and his wife Louise are members of Rosemary Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids. He has six children and 11 grandchildren. A graduate of Roanoke Rapids High School, Lancaster attended Mars Hill College, received a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an advanced education degree from East Carolina University. He also served in the U.S. Army.

Lancaster was one of 20 volunteers nominated for this year’s award. Others recognized during the luncheon included:

Thelma Bostic	Southern Correctional Institution	Troy
Cleveland Cook	Albemarle Correctional Institution	Badin
Elizabeth Hill	Wilmington Res. Facility for Women	Wilmington
Danny Hinnant	Tillery Correctional Center	Tillery
Albert Hoffner	Piedmont Correctional Institution	Salisbury
Rev. Joseph Lenna	Dan River Prison Work Farm	Yanceyville
Irvin McSwain	Cleveland Correctional Center	Shelby
Henry Moeller IV	Black Mountain CCW and Craggy CC	Black Mountain/Asheville
Marsha Moeller	Black Mountain CCW and Craggy CC	Black Mountain/Asheville
Curtis Ray Morgan	Franklin Correctional Center	Bunn
Elaine Price	Sandhills Youth Center	McCain
Gregory Price	Sandhills Youth Center	McCain
Rev. John Reid Sr.	Columbus Correctional Institution	Brunswick
Robert Ripley Jr.	Nash Correctional Institution	Nashville
Joseph Rooney Sr.	Pender Correctional Institution	Burgaw
Dorothy Shephard	Pamlico Correctional Institution	Bayboro
Lorraine White	NC Correctional Institution for Women	Raleigh
Rev. James Woods	Robeson Correctional Center	Lumberton
Barry Zimmerman	Western Youth Institution	Morganton


	North Carolina DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION Michael F. Easley, Governor Theodis Beck, Secretary