Paula Osborne took a dilapidated tennis court and a group of children who had never picked up a tennis racket, and turned them into some of Morgan County’s finest players.
Osborne was honored for her dedication to service at the annual Governor’s Service Awards dinner at the Culture Center at the State Capitol on Thursday, September 6.
Presented since 1995, the Governor’s Service Awards honors individuals, families and organizations that exemplify outstanding dedication to volunteerism and community service in West Virginia. Osborne received her award in the Lifetime Achievement Category.
To some, it may just be tennis — but to Coach Osborne, it’s a way to benefit the entire community.
In 2004, Osborne launched the first tennis program at Berkeley Springs High School. The first practice was unforgettable — none of the players knew much about tennis; some showed up with old wooden rackets, while others wore jeans and sandals.
Coach Osborne had been a state champion tennis player, college athlete, and had associated with some of the world’s most elite tennis icons.
Osborne’s drive has yielded afterschool programs, grants, summer camps, college scholarships and the creation of a varsity tennis program. Hundreds of Morgan County’s youth have been through Coach Osborne’s program.
The Governor’s Service Awards are administered by Volunteer West Virginia, the state’s Commission for National and Community Service. A volunteer review committee reads and selects the recipients based on achievement, community needs, continuing involvement, innovation and impact of service.
Other recipients of the 2018 Governor’s Service Awards, by category:
Youth, Kiara Stevens, Wellsburg; Adult, Melodee Price, Elkins and Kandi Habeb, Parkersburg; Senior, Jo Ann Harman, Lahmansville and Kenneth Springer, Hillsboro; Family, The Ash Family, Clarksburg; Lifetime Achievement, Paula Osborne, Berkeley Springs; Organization, Tri-State Literacy Council, Huntington, Faith In Action of the Greater Kanawha Valley, Charleston; Elkins Welcome Depot Center, Elkins and Rotary Clubs of Martinsburg and Shepherdstown.
