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| By Doug Deloach CONTRIBUTING WRITER It’s good to be Santa. A longtime advocate of a “pro bono culture” who practices what he preaches, the Hon. T. Jackson Bedford, Jr. is best known among his peers for the Atlanta Santa Project, which was established in 1993 and is co-sponsored by the Atlanta |
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Association (ABA) and its charity arm, the Atlanta Bar Foundation. For this work,
and for annually exchanging his black robes for a red Santa outfit, Bedford will receive the ABA’s first “Community Service Award” at an upcoming luncheon. “Judge Bedford and the Atlanta Santa Project are a wonderful example, largely unknown to the community at large, of lawyers and judges making a difference in our community,” said Rita Sheffey, partner at Hunton & Williams, LLP, who is in charge of the ABA awards committee. Bedford, a Superior Court Judge for Fulton County, has been a member of the ABA since 1973 and was president of the organization in 1994-95. He has carved a distinguished record as an attorney and trial judge. On October 2, the ABA will honor Bedford at its first annual “Celebrating Service” luncheon honoring Atlanta Bar lawyers and sections for providing significant pro bono services, creating successful pro bono programs and engaging in significant community service during the 2007-2008 bar year. “This event is part of the Atlanta Bar Association’s renewed commitment and focus on community and pro bono legal service as part of the legal community’s ethical and moral obligations,” said Diane O’Steen, executive director of the ABA. |
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| Atlanta Santa Project Over the years, dozens of volunteer judges and lawyers decked out in full Santa Claus regalia have made hundreds of appearances around the metro area, bringing tidings and joy to youngsters at facilities such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding and Egleston, Camp Second Chance, Georgia Regional Hospital, DFACS, The Giving Tree, Atlanta Special Citizens, and the Rick McDevitt Youth Center. According to Bedford, the project began as a lark one Christmas Eve, when a few friends gathered for a party. “Somebody had a Santa suit, so I put it on,” Bedford said. Although the occasion was largely an adult affair, one of the neighbor’s children showed up. “As soon as he saw me, that little boy, who was probably 6 or 7, ran over and grabbed my leg and hugged me for all he was worth,” Bedford said. “I was transformed. I thought, ‘What power there is in this symbol for children.’” After a few more informal Santa appearances, one jolly Christmas season Bedford got a call from the Northside Athletic Club. The organizers of the club’s annual Christmas party wanted Bedford to don his Santa garb and meet with the members’ children who would be bearing donated gifts destined for the Rick McDevitt Youth Center. Soon after, Bedford said, “That’s when it hit me: I realized that the Santa program was a wonderful idea that could be organized and expanded upon.” |
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| Deploying Santas Today, depending upon the size and scope of the event, one of eight official Atlanta Santas will deploy with a contingent of elves drawn from a group of 40 to 50 volunteers whose job, in some respects, is the most important of them all. “The elves organize everything and make sure Santa isn’t caught with his pants down or seen removing his beard,” said Bedford, only half-jokingly. “Santa is a magical person and it’s important to preserve that mystique.” |
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Born April 18, 1944, in Opelika, Ala., Bedford was raised in Oklahoma. He attended the University of Virginia on a Naval ROTC scholarship, earning a B.A. in international affairs. In 1967-68, he served as a Naval flight officer on the USS Intrepid. In a specifically outfitted Skyraider, a single-engine prop plane, Bedford flew more than 100 sorties over North Vietnam, jamming radar systems in support of bombing missions. In 1973, Bedford received his juris doctor from Emory University. He practiced with Harland, Cashin, Chambers & Parker and Bedford, Kirschner and Venker, P.C. In 1996, he was elected to Fulton County Superior Court, and is up for re-election in November. “On reflection, my life has been about service,” Bedford said. “In Vietnam, I was serving my country voluntarily in time of war. When I stepped down as the president of the Atlanta Bar Association, I thought, ‘What greater service could a trial lawyer perform than by becoming a trial judge.’” |
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| Judge Bedford accepts
his award at the first annual "Celebrating Service" ABA luncheon. |
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| Our
valued supporters include... | ||||
Michael J. Bowers Balch & Bingham, LLC Co-Chair: Thomas G. Sampson Thomas, Kennedy, Sampson & Patterson Co-Chair: Robert G. Wellon Treasurer: Susan Foster, CPA Executive Committee: W. Ray Persons Rev. Edward Reynolds Elizabeth A. Price Terrence L. Croft Kathleen A. Womack Harry H. Harkins, Jr. Karen D. Fultz SUPPORTERS: Melinda Agee Bruce & Sally Alterman Lawrence Ashe Susan C. Atkinson Tyrus B. Atkinson, Jr. Byron Attridge Hon. Kathy Ashe Tony Axam Teresa Bailey David A. Bain Emily S. Bair Robert S. Baird Rick Baker Thomas Balestreire Jane Barwick Edward E. Bates, Jr. Andrew M. Beal Frank C. Bedinger, III Frank J. Beltran Emmet J. Bondurant Jeffrey O. Bramlett Robert M. Brinson Ken Britt M. Gino Brogdon Sam E. Brownlee Charles E. Buker, III Deborah Butera James Butler Douglas N. Campbell Thomas S. Carlock Taylor T. Carstarphen Harry L. Cashin, Jr. Bill & Theresa Chappell Robert W. Chestney Scott Childress Martha J. Church Ruth Claiborne Carol V. Clark Francis G Clark J. Stephen Clifford Douglas Cockrill Robert M. Coker Kathy & Pete Colbenson Marvin Cosgray Rand Csehy Harold T. Daniel, Jr. John J. Dalton Joe G. Davis, Jr. William D. DeGolian James M. Deichert Lawrie E. Demorest William H. Dodson, II R. Daniel Douglass Wilson DuBose George Duncan William E. Duncan, Jr. James Eidson James Elliott M. Jerome Elmore William P. Evans William Farris R. Keegan Federal, Jr. Dolly Fehd Monroe J. Feldman Henry D. Fellows, Jr. Charles Feyt J. Benjamin Finley Gwen Keys Fleming Gary S. Freed Paul Freeman Lisa Fuerst Kimberly Gaddis Hon. David H. Gambrell Hon. Pat Gardner Edward T.M. Garland Margaret 'Meg' Gibson Hon. Harry Geisinger Richard W. Gerakitis David Gheesling MaryBeth V. Gibson John and Lee Giesecke James Gingrey Susan Goger Letha Y. Griffin, MD Max Groves Robert Hancock John W. Harbin Steven Anthony Hart Jonathan Hayes William Bradley Hill, Jr. Adrienne Hobbs Sara M. Hogsette Tom Holden J.M. 'Skip' Hudgins, IV Daniel J. Huff Bob Hulsey J.D. Humphries, III John Hunt Cary Ichter Brenda Insley Frank E. Jenkins, III W. Seaborn Jones Tom Jones Ben F. Johnson, III Randall M. Kessler Richard P. Kessler Charles King Margo King Robert L. Kirby Seth D. Kirschenbaum Linda Klein Steven Koval Brett Ladd Stephen J. LaBriola Harry V. Lamon, Jr. Nancy F. Lawler Allegra Lawrence Bishop Mary D. Lawrence George O. Lawson J. Arthur Lee, Jr. David Lefkowitz Michelle R. LeGault Jonathan R. Levine Mary D. Lewis Elizabeth Green Lindsey Hon. Edward Lindsey Donald A. Loft Alfred Lurey Samuel Machette Daniel MacIntyre Blanchette Maier Frank H. Maier, Jr. Kelly B. Malone S. Wade Malone Tommy W. Malone John T. Marshall John 'Jack' Martin Steven J. Martin Charles A. Mathis, Jr. Randolph A. Mayer Natalie McDaniel James John McGinnis Barry B. McGough Bruce Mitchell Richard C. Mitchell Matthew Moffett M. Heather Moody J. Kenneth Moorman Bruce H. Morris Ralph R. Morrison Charles Murphy Brian Neary Charles L. Newton, II Richard M. Nolen Mike Norman Hon. Mary Margaret Oliver Christopher D. Olmsted James B. Outman Paul Owens Matthew H. Patton Charlotte Kathleen Perrell Bob Persons Oscar N. Persons Lewis Pittman Roger C. Plichta John Porter, Jr. Carol B. Powell Gregory T. Presmanes William M. Ragland, Jr. C. Gregory Ragsdale Perry Raulet Christopher R. Reeves John H. Ridley Shea E. Roberts Susan Morgan Robinson M. Kathryn Rogers Janis L. Rosser D. Lake Rumsey Martin H. Rubin James Rush Thomas 'Woody' Sampson Donald Samuel Jacquelyn H. Saylor Murray C. Saylor Andrew M. Scherffius, III Richard W. Schiffman Jr. Ellen Schlossberg Jack S. Schroder, Jr. Emory A. Schwall William J. Seigler, III Rita Arlene Sheffey James M. Sherman Wayne Shortridge Richard H. Sinkfield Rachel Snider Theodore Speaker Carolyn Stapleton Samuel Starks Brian Steel Colette Resnik Steel Clifford Steele Don Stein, Phd. Bruce R. Steinfeld Irwin W. Stolz, Jr. Frank B. Strickland Glenda L. Sullivan Terrance C. Sullivan Lori Surmay Cheryl Tarzwell John W. Timmons Jeffrey Tompkins Pamela L. Tremayne Mark G. Trigg Kirby L. Turnage, Jr. Betty Voyles David Walbert Chadwick Walker Thomas F. Wamsley, Jr. John Watkins Steve K. Weiner Jan Montgomery Wellon Leigh Wilco Robert P. Wildau Robert Wildstein Robert S. Windholz Hon. Wendell Willard John Williamson L. David Wolfe Kathleen M. Womack Hon. Jere F. Wood Lin Wood John Woodham Kimberly Wright Edward Wynn |
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