The George & Dorothy Walton Award is presented annually to an Augusta-area couple who exemplify the legacy and values of George and Dorothy Walton. The award recognizes a lifestyle of community service, selflessness, hospitality, courage, and devotion.
Doctors Alice K. and John C. David were nominated for the 2022 Walton Award by James K. Stiff, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA because he had witnessed firsthand their tireless community and global stewardship and devotion to serving others.
“In both word and deed, the Davids exemplify grace, character, passion, and selflessness. Alice and John are humble leaders who motivate and inspire those around them and use their personal and professional skills, talents, and resources to benefit the community as a whole – not only in the CSRA but worldwide. As first-generation immigrants to the United States, they value and embrace citizenship on a local, national and global scale, reaching out to people in need wherever they may be.”
– James K. Stiff, CEO of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA
In addition to his successful career in volunteer board and executive leadership, John is a singer, songwriter, musician, and performing artist who uses his talent to deliver a message of love and peace to people around the globe. John’s passion for music was cultivated by his mother, who gave him his first guitar at the age of ten and encouraged him to develop his God-given gift. Today, he is best known for his soulful melodies and spiritual lyrics that reflect his faith and call upon humankind to unite in love. His music ministry has taken him around the world, performing and leading worship at venues throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, and notably, was a featured performer at the World Health Organization’s concert for aid to Somalia in Saudi Arabia.
“To be in the presence of John and Alice is to be in the presence of love. They are inclusive, generous, gracious, and kind. Through their many friends, I learned that John and Alice David are generous volunteers and philanthropists. I discovered that they are quiet philanthropists, most often donating major gifts anonymously.”
– Meredith B. Stiff, Executive Director for the Goodwill Works Foundation
Alice is a renowned oncologist and hematologist known for her ability to combine compassionate care with evidence-based cancer management. Committed to providing her patients with the best possible treatment options, she frequently consults oncology networks that bring together specialists to discuss the latest medical advancements.
Alice’s loss of her own mother to cancer inspired her to become an oncologist in order to help save the lives of others living with cancer. When patients cannot afford chemotherapy, she works with pharmaceutical companies, investing personal resources to leverage care. She has shared her knowledge and financial resources both locally and globally, traveling with John on medical missions to Nicaragua, Honduras, and Jordan.
Together, John and Alice are involved with a number of CSRA organizations as donors and volunteers, devoting many hours to supporting such local causes as WAFJ 88.3, Christ Community Health, Golden Harvest Food Bank, Grace Trinity United Church of Christ, Warren Baptist Church, and The Lydia Project. Additionally, they sponsor 10 children through Compassion Ministries International, an organization dedicated to ending child poverty. Through financial support, prayer, and letter writing, they directly invest in the lives of these children, helping them build self-esteem and self-respect while ensuring their immediate physical needs are met.
Alice and John have decided to donate this year’s Walton Award funds to Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA. Goodwill Industries believes work plays a critical role in the ability of individuals to achieve desirable life outcomes. The founder of Goodwill Industries, Dr. Edgar J. Helms, believed that individuals wanted and needed an opportunity, a chance beyond charity, and this basic philosophy has set the vision for the Goodwill movement since 1902. Moreover, Goodwill believes that work is better “caught than taught,” and it provides opportunities for individuals to “catch” a solid work ethic. Through work, individuals are enabled to assume the role of the worker in addition to other roles within the community. Work forms a cornerstone of a person’s relationship with other people and is critical for preventing and minimizing social problems.
