Nornie Bunting received the 2023 Berlin Award Thursday. Bunting, center, is pictured with, from left, Councilman Jay Knerr, Councilman Steve Green, Berlin Chamber President Mike Poole, Mayor Zack Tyndall and Councilman Jack Orris.

Designation presented at annual dinner last Thursday for first time since 2022

By Charlene Sharpe, Contributing Writer

(Jan. 25, 2024) A lifelong resident known for his devotion to the Berlin Little League and dedication to preserving the town’s historic architecture is this year’s recipient of the Berlin Award.

Town officials honored Norman “Nornie” Bunting with the Berlin Award Thursday night at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce Annual Installation and Awards Dinner. Bunting, whose win was acknowledged with a standing ovation from the crowd, thanked everyone for the honor.

“I love my town,” he said. “Go Berlin, go Berlin go.”

After a brief hiatus, the tradition of the Berlin Award returned to highlight this year’s chamber dinner. Melissa Reid, president of the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum and longtime art teacher at Buckingham Elementary School, spoke about the award’s origins.

“The Berlin Award is presented annually to an individual who has, by unselfish effort and dedication, made outstanding contributions of community service in the Town of Berlin and immediately surrounding region,” she said.

While no award was presented between the years of 2017 and 2022, prior to that it had been presented every year since 1964. When the award was established, it was presented by the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and endorsed by the town. It was later sponsored by the Berlin Lions Club and then the Humphreys Foundation. Joel Todd, the 2010 recipient, told the crowd Thursday night sponsorship has once again returned to the Berlin Chamber of Commerce.

Barbara Purnell, the 2016 award winner, said Bunting had been selected as the 2023 recipient for his nearly two decades of serving the Berlin Little League as well as his several years of work on the Berlin Historic District Commission.

Bunting, who didn’t know he was getting the award until he arrived at Berlin Fire Company headquarters, where this year’s dinner was held, said he was simply supporting the town the way it had always supported him.

“I knew it was time for me to put back into our town what I’d taken out of it for so long,” he said.

In 18 years as president of Berlin Little League, Bunting said the program had won 19 state championships. He’s hoping the program will serve as the foundation local kids need to become professional players.

“We’ve got kids from Berlin now that are close to being in the show,” he said. “That’s our goal.”

He added that while his role on the Berlin Historic District Commission was a newer one for him, he was no less devoted to it.

“I might not be the best historian but I can tell you what I do have is a photographic memory,” he said. “When I rode up and down these streets when I was 8, 9, 10 years old on my bicycle, I remember what everything looked like then and I want it to continue to look like that now and in the future.”

Previous Berlin Award recipients include Frederick Brueckmann, 1964; Jane Q. Parker Gantz, 1965; Willis W. Hudson, 1966; Paul Scott, 1968; Audrey Pennington, 1969; Horace E. Quillin, 1970; Oscar Littleton, 1971; Anna A. Burbage, 1972; William S. Hudson, 1973; James G. Barrett, 1974; Elton W. Parsons, 1975; William Briddell, 1976; Mable S. Holland, 1977; Rev. E.C. Hackshaw, 1978; Charles T. Martin, 1979; Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Abernethy, 1980; Edgar Gaskins, 1981; no award, 1982; Wilford and Rhoda Showell, 1983; Laurence Eastburn, 1984; Edward H. Hammond, 1985; Luther Shultz, 1986; Frank Timmons, 1987; Gee Williams, III, 1988; Stuart J. Scott, 1989; Mary E. Humphreys, 1990; Barbara Derrickson, 1991; Doris Taylor, 1992; Mildred Ann Villani, 1993; Denman E. Rayne, 1994; Raymond D. Coates, 1995; Patrick L. Henry, 1996; John T. Buehl, 1997; Frank Villani, 1998; Bennett Scott, 1999; Leola A. Smack, 2000; Ellen H. Lang, 2001; RoxAnne D. Williams, 2002; Tom & Judy Patton, 2003; Jesse Turner, 2004; Clayton P. Collins, Jr., 2005; Deborah S. Frene, 2006; William Burke, 2007; Tim and Christine Rayne, 2008; Susan Taylor, 2009; Joel J. Todd, 2010; Terri Sexton, 2011; Jan Quick, 2012; Doug Parks, 2014; Mike and Helen Wiley, 2014; Woody and Cam Bunting, 2015; Barbara Purnell, 2016; and no award, 2017-2022.