Dr. Marcie Biddleman honored with the 36th annual Four Chaplains Award
The St. Petersburg Civitan Club presents the Four Chaplains Award to community leaders and advocates who serve others and emulate the qualities of the four chaplains: selflessness and self-sacrifice for the greater good.
Dr. Marcie Biddleman was honored with the 36th Annual Four Chaplains Award by the St. Petersburg Civitan Club during their Clergy Appreciation Luncheon on March 1, 2017. The St. Petersburg Civitan Club presents the Four Chaplains Award to community leaders and advocates who serve others and emulate the qualities of the four chaplains: selflessness and self-sacrifice for the greater good.
The award is based on a true story: On February 3, 7943, the troop transport Dorchester was torpedoed and sunk in the cold North Atlantic waters off Greenland. The ship was only 90 miles from its destination, but 678 of the 904 men on board were lost at sea. Among these who perished were four chaplains – a priest, a rabbi, and two ministers. They went down with the ship because they had given their life jackets to soldiers who had none. With utter disregard for self, the chaplains stood hand-in-hand and perished so that others might live.
Since the mid-1960s, Civitan Clubs around the world have set aside a time to honor the sacrifice of the four chaplains and to recognize the special role of religion and faith in our society.
About Civitan Clubs: The worldwide mission of Civitan International is to build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities.