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Rockingham County’s register of deeds was honored with two awards during a recent conference.

Rebecca Cipriani was given the Outstanding Register of Deeds Award and the Eunice Ayers Distinguished Service Award during the N.C. Association of Registers of Deeds annual conference, held Sept. 19-22 in Raleigh.

The Eunice Ayers Award, named in honor of the association’s first president, recognizes registers of deeds who have a documented track record of accomplishments in their office. Recipients must have served in leadership roles within the association and possess integrity and dedication, among other qualities.

“To be selected by my peers and to be a part of an elite group of only 26 distinguished registers who have received this award is truly an honor,” said Cipriani, who has been the county’s register of deeds since 1998.

Cipriani served as president of the N.C. Association of Registers of Deeds during the past year and said there have been challenges.

“This has been an extremely difficult year to be a register of deeds in this state,” she said. “There were 55 bills introduced as legislation in the General Assembly that impacted our offices. I think this is a testament to the importance of our offices and its impact on other governmental entities, business partners and the public.”

Among Cipriani’s accomplishments while in office is the e-vault. The county’s collection of land records were scanned into a secure database for online viewing.

Cipriani received the Outstanding Register of Deeds Award from the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

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Sheri Hopkins and Robert Hurd have been awarded $2,500 scholarships from the State Employees Credit Union. They will use the scholarships to attend Rockingham Community College.

Hopkins and Hurd are Eden residents. Hopkins is a member of Phi Theta Kappa who wants to pursue a bachelor’s degree in music education.

“Getting this (scholarship) made the difference in being able to complete my degree or not completing it,” said Hopkins, a mother of one and grandmother of five.

“I work full-time at a High Point accounting firm, but that wasn’t enough. And being able to take night and online classes was perfect for my needs.”

Hurd plans to transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill to receive a pharmacy degree.

“My goal is to become a pharmacist and come back to our community to work. I want to be able to give back to my family and community for all of their support,” he said.

The State Employees Credit Union gives scholarships annually to students at each of the state’s 58 community colleges. It also awards scholarships to high school students.

The scholarships are funded by members of the credit union through the SECU Foundation.

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The handcrafted quilts of the late Dovie Carter are on display this month at Eden City Hall.

Carter loved crafts, working in her church and being active in the senior groups she joined after her retirement. Her daughter, Virginia Lawson, hopes the exhibit will inspire others to become active.

The quilts will be on display through Oct. 31. They can be viewed 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at Eden City Hall, 308 E. Stadium Drive.

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Staff with the State Employees Credit Union on Sept. 24 presented $800 to Commissioners Bobby Stanley and James Kallam for the campaign to build a new Rockingham County Animal Shelter.

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The Salvation Army of Rockingham County recently received a check for $11,520 from the Home Savings Bank Charitable Endowment. The money will be used to help build youth and adult community centers in Reidsville and Eden.

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Allen C. Grane has graduated from the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps’ Leader Development and Assessment course at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Wash.

Grane was trained and evaluated in various aspects of military life. The course assesses cadets’ officer potential based on intelligence, common sense, ingenuity and physical stamina. Cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants upon completion of the course, the ROTC program and college graduation.

Grane, who attends St. John’s University in Queens, NY, is a 2006 graduate of McMichael High School. He is the son of William Grane and Karen A. Grane of McLeansville.

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U.S. Army Pfc. Kenneth D. Carter graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga.

Carter was trained in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics and military courtesy and justice, among other skills.

Carter, a 2009 graduate of Morehead High School, is the son of Regina and Timothy Carter of Reidsville.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 627-4881, Ext. 126, or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com