Man's contributions earn him an honor

Chris Fagot's first brush with fundraising came as a Jesuit High School student in the early 1950s.

"I remember we got a day off from school if we raised enough money," said Fagot, now 78 and living in Apollo Beach. "That sounded pretty good to me."

He's been contributing ever since.

Recently, Fagot was the recipient of the 2009 Lonnie Lea Napier Good Neighbor Award. He was supposed to receive the prize during the county's seventh annual Neighborhoods Conference on March 27 but was unable to attend because he was in California with his newest grandchild.

"They were nice enough to send me the plaque," Fagot said.

Established in 2000, the award is named after a Hillsborough resident who died after falling from a tree while trying to retrieve a neighbor's cat. The county's Office of Neighborhood Relations solicits nominations for quarterly recipients, who become finalists for the yearly award.

Besides the plaque, winners of the yearly award also receive $2,000, which is presented to the neighborhood association serving the area where the person lives.

Fagot - who was born in Nicaragua but grew up in Tampa with his seven siblings - was chosen for his community service and his dedication to improving the South Shore area.

In the past, he has worked closely with the Ruskin Chamber of Commerce on various community projects and with Habitat for Humanity by identifying eligible families in the area and helping guide them through the home-building process.

Fagot has also raised money that helped erect a new building for the Wimauma Seventh-day Adventist Church.

"A lot of times, what you really need is someone to get out there, sit in front of people and really let them know how they can help," said Carol Fagot, Chris' wife of 40. "He's very good at that."

Fagot credits his father-in-law Archie Hamlin, who helped build schools and churches in Costa Rica, with inspiring him to give back to his community.

Since retiring from the Ruskin-based Hamlin Nursery in 2005, Fagot has focused the majority of his energy on improving South Shore.

Most recently, he and Carol contributed a meal and money to the Big Give in Ruskin during Thanksgiving, and helped organized a golf tournament to raise money for Mary & Martha House earlier this year.

The duo also help provide clothes for the Ruskin Woman's Club "Sew Much Comfort" program, which creates adaptive clothing for wounded military personnel.

Fagot is thankful for his latest accolade, but insists there is more work to do.

"The award means a lot because it comes from the county," he said. "This is a beautiful area and I'm happy to do what I can."