Longtime New Bern community leader and Public Radio East board member Linda J. Staunch has received North Carolina's highest civilian honor, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
Staunch was surprised with the award during the North Carolina Symphony's Patriotic Pops concert celebrating the America 250 initiative. Former Governor Beverly Perdue presented the honor, recognizing Staunch’s decades of dedication to the state and eastern North Carolina.
Civic leaders praised Staunch as an exemplary ambassador for the city, noting her extensive work in education, church leadership, and her pivotal role in sustaining the arts across Craven County.
