HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — The 2023 Samuel T. Northern Military Citizen of the Year award went to YN2 Joy Combs of the U.S. Navy on Oct. 13.
This was part of the Navy’s 248th birthday, and honored the region’s enlisted military who have had a positive impact on the local community, according to a release.
“Since 1955, the Samuel T. Northern Military Citizen of the Year award has been presented to the individual who has gone above and beyond their normal acts of duty,” the release states.
Combs volunteered over 200 hours across organizations in Hampton Roads, and assisted Dynamic Health Solutions with multiple series of “Healthy Life Skills” conventions and seminars to educate the community on the importance of healthy diets, according to a release. Combs also volunteered with the American Cancer Society and REACH.
“I just have an extremely big passion for helping people,” Combs said. “I kind of get it from my mom. She was always the one to lend her car or let someone stay with her and I think growing up that really was instilled in me of just helping others. You can make a difference in the community. You can make a difference in people’s lives.”
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