Kieslich of Sumter receives the Mildred Henry Davenport Award for work as Pilot

Dr Anita F. Kieslich received the Mildred Henry Davenport Award at the 84th South Carolina Pilot District Convention in Columbia on Oct. 17 for her dedication and work with the Evening Pilot Club of Sumter and Sumter community.

Presenting the award was the State PI Past Governor and 2014 recipient of the Mildred Henry Davenport Award, Shirley Patterson from Sumter. The award is given annually to a Pilot who most nearly exemplified the basic principles of Pilot in his or her community life.

The Evening Pilot Club submitted letters and endorsements from various community and club members highlighting Kieslich's many acts of dedication to her community. In addition to being an author of two children's books, some of these acts include establishing a library at Camp Burnt Gin, creating the Early Head Start Program and after-school programs for Sumter School District, authoring numerous grants to enhance educational development, creating the Shepherd's Center day trips and, most recently, developing the fast-growing sport of pickleball in Sumter.

Kieslich serves on various community boards and has previously been recognized as the state's Vice Principal of the Year in 1998. As an active Pilot member, she can often be seen at Swan Lake's Iris Market selling hot dogs or distributing Pilot Pal bears with her fellow club members.