Outstanding community service recognized by Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook

The Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook recently presented two Walter Zeller Fellowship Awards for outstanding service to the Homewood community.

Members of the Graphos family received the medal and certificate awarded posthumously to Sammy Graphos, a fixture in the Homewood main business district prior to his passing in October 2021. The influence and wisdom of Graphos, the former owner/operator of Sam’s Super Samwiches, spread well beyond the restaurant’s walls, the club said. His son, Ted, shared several stories of Graphos’ benevolence both to children and adults in Rosedale and within Homewood schools. Kiwanis Club  members rejoiced at the news of Sam’s Super Samwiches reopening under Ted’s management in its new location in Soho.

The second award honors the 37-year career of Deborah Fout, recently retired director of the Homewood Public Library. Under her leadership emerged more than $500,000 of improvements, including superlative children’s and teen programs, adult services and the state-of-the-art computer center, the club said. Her service to Homewood, the region and the state is widely recognized, the club said. Scott Sims, the governor of the Kiwanis Alabama District, presented the award to Fout, surrounded by her close friends and library colleagues.

The Walter Zeller Fellowship of Kiwanis International was established as a means of funding Project Eliminate, addressing the elimination of maternal neonatal tetanus in developing countries.  The Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook  shares in this initiative by recognizing members of the community whose lives exemplify distinguished contributions and service.

– Submitted by Leland Keller.