2025 Myrtie Davis Award Winner press release – APPROVED
WINSTON-SALEM, NC (APRIL 15, 2025)—Samaritan Ministries named Quilla Smith the winner of its Myrtie Davis Lifetime Volunteer Servant Leadership Award for 2025 at its annual volunteer appreciation event on Saturday, April 12. During 2024, 2,028 volunteers contributed a total of 27,030 hours of service to Samaritan Ministries.
The Myrtie Davis Lifetime Volunteer Servant Leadership Award was established in 2017 in honor of Winston-Salem resident Myrtie Davis in recognition of her countless hours of volunteerism with Samaritan Ministries and her lasting impact. The award is intended to inspire others to give their time, talent and treasure to help people who are experiencing hunger and homelessness and recognizes someone who has volunteered for 10 or more years at Samaritan and who displays multiple characteristics of a servant leader.
Samaritan is a place near and dear to Smith’s heart. She volunteered early in life along with her mother during Samaritan’s initial phase of operation. In fact, in 1986, her name was listed on Samaritan’s Articles of Incorporation as a founding board member. Smith was known as a core volunteer at Samaritan for 31 years from approximately 1981 through 2012, frequently leading other volunteers for lunch or overnight in the Samaritan shelter.
“Years ago, when we shared with Myrtie that we were establishing the award and that she would be the first recipient, I’ll never forget her response. Her eyes filled with tears, and she said, ‘Only Jesus deserves an award,’” Samaritan Ministries Executive Director Jan Kelly said. “She was uncomfortable with the recognition yet grateful for more precious people to be fed, have shelter, receive help for their addictions and mental health and above all, hear the gospel, draw closer to Jesus, the great healer, and feel very loved and cared for.”
Smith has seen many people—guests, volunteers, staff—come and go from Samaritan during the last four decades, but her commitment has been steadfast because she knows that God uses one’s hands to help heal others. This was her passion as a nurse, and it carried through to her service at Samaritan as a core volunteer, board member, Soup Kitchen volunteer and a team lead from Galilee Missionary Baptist Church.
“When I first started volunteering there, I was in a dark place in my life. Samaritan was truly a refuge. If you want to know how blessed you are, just talk to somebody,” Smith said. “I believe we are here to be God’s hands in serving others.”