Individuals from nine different categories were honored by Mayor George Evans Saturday and were given the Golden Bridge Builders Awards. The event held in the George P. Evans Convention Center, was the first annual event for the award.

The Golden Bridge Builders Award is an award intended to honor, promote and show appreciation to citizens who have “unselfishly rendered extraordinary service.” Recipients of the award must be more than 55 years old and Evans said he plans award recipients each year.

“I don’t think it would have been possible to have chosen a better slate of recipients,” Dallas County Probate Judge Kim Ballard said. “I am also proud of the diversity, unity and forward thinking that [these recipients] bring to Selma and Dallas County.”

The Golden Bridge Builders Award recipients for 2012 are as follows: Mallieve Breeding in the arts and entertainment category, Mike Reynolds in the business category, Arlena King in the community services category, Wanda McCall in the education category, Lorenzo Harrison in the government category, Glenton Davis in the heath care category, Alston Fitts in the humanitarian category, Alvin Benn in the media and print category, and Joe Peterson in religion.

Mayor Evans said the idea for these awards came from an award ceremony he attended in Montgomery.

“Montgomery recognizes senior citizens statewide with a senior citizen program,” Evans said and realized when he attended the program that he needed to bring something similar to Selma. “I thought that this is something we need to do in our city to recognize our own people.”

He said the title, “Golden Bridge Builders Awards” comes from the idea that bridges lead to success and he cited a poem by Drake Peterson.

“It also is with my motto of new bridges to build because that has to do with no having pit falls and we are creating bridges for people to cross for success,” he said.

As for the choosing of the recipients, a board made up of Selma residents Evelyn Cox, Jeannie Evans, Maggie Drake-Peterson and Cindy Edwards Owens, collectively decided on them.

“My heart is gladdened by the idea that the city of Selma and Dallas County have the opportunity to thank and honor these unsung heroes and there are far too many of them,” Peterson said. “We don’t want to wait until they are gone, we want to honor them while they are here and give them their flowers while they can smell them.”