Pam Turner named Carolina Day School Distinguished Alumni

Carolina Day School is pleased to announce that this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award honoree is Pam Turner, alum of CDS predecessor school, St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines. Being a Wildcat runs in Pam’s family. Her children, Brian and Robin, attended Asheville Country Day School then both graduated from Carolina Day School after the 1987 merger of the schools. Now, her grandchildren, Harrison, Carson, Riley, and Eleanor attend Carolina Day School.

Pam Turner with her children and grandchildren

“CDS has given so much to our family,” said Pam. “It certainly helped shape our children and now our grandchildren into people who make us proud.”

The C. Robert Bell, Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes alumni of Carolina Day School and its predecessor schools who have distinguished themselves, their school, and their community through personal accomplishments and service to others in their business, profession, or vocation and who have demonstrated concern for and service to their community, state, nation, or world.

Out of 11 nominees, the Alumni Board voted unanimously to honor Pam Turner. Pam is on the steering committee for the It All Begins Here capital campaign to renovate the Lower School and build a new Library, and has been a supporter of all CDS campaigns over the past 20 years.

“The time I spent here has given me the opportunity to be involved with people who truly care about young people, whether they are parents, administrators, or our dedicated teachers.”

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this important award than this year’s award winner, Pamela Turner,” said CDS Alumni Board President Eric Edgerton ‘07. “Not only is she a distinguished supporter of CDS, Pam has also been a real leader in Asheville in her lifetime of service to the Western North Carolina community.”

In addition to her work with Carolina Day, Pam has supported other area nonprofits including the Asheville Arts Alliance (now the Asheville Area Arts Council), the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County, The Health Adventure, RiverLink, the American Red Cross, and the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County. Pam has also been honored as a recipient of the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County's Lifetime of Dedication to Charity and Volunteerism award.

Previous recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award include:

Gail Godwin SGP ’55                                                2008
Eugene M. Carr SGP ’43                                            2007  
Sally Lewis Rhoades SGP ‘56                                    2006
Canie B. Smith ACDS ‘50                                         2005
Jane Swicegood Elins SGP ‘51                                  2004
Charles D. Owen III ACDS ‘78                                 2003
Darryl J. Hart ACDS ‘79                                            2002
Barbara Morgan Nesbitt ACDS ‘61                           2001
Joel B. Adams, Jr. ACDS ‘71                                     2000
Mother Margaret Potts, R.C.E. ‘28                            1999
Samuel A. Bingham III ACDS ‘62                            1997
Mitchell “Micky” Wolfson, Jr. ACDS ‘56                 1997
Linda Rathbun Taylor ACDS ‘64                              1996
C. Robert Bell, Jr. ACDS ‘62                                     1994