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Kiwanis Club honors 'Caring & Sharing' law officers

From left, Kiwanis Club President Ty Keplinger; Hendersonville Police Sgt. Gary Garden, who accepted Lt. Kenny Hipps’s award; State Highway Patrol Senior Trooper Eric Noblett; Laurel Park Patrol Officer Philip Ramackers; and Kiwanian Doug Dunlap.

The Hendersonville Kiwanis Club honored five law officers with the Morris Kaplan Caring and Sharing Law Enforcement Award for their service to their departments and the community.

“It’s not just a 9-5 job, (given) the ongoing training and personal commitment by all involved, including family members who support and encourage your efforts,” Kiwanian Doug Dunlap said as he presented the awards during the club’s regular meeting earlier this month.
Honorees were:
• Lt. Kenneth W. “Kenny” Hipps, Hendersonville Police Department. An 18-year law enforcement veteran, Hipps has advanced training and extensive experience in emergency medical service. His awards include the EMS Paramedic of the Year, A-B Tech Preceptor of the Year, Police Commendation Medal, Knights of Columbus Shield Award, HPD Officer of the year and HPD Purple Heart. He and his wife, Amy, have a son and two daughters. Hipps says he spends most of his free time watching his kids play sports. He’s also an avid saltwater fisherman and enjoys other outdoor recreation. The family attends Grace United Methodist Church in Leicester.
• Patrol Officer Philip Ramackers, Laurel Park Police Department. A Laurel Park officer for the past five years, Ramackers has more than 500 hours of training and works as a concealed-carry instructor. He’s active in his church, St. Andrews Anglican. He and his wife, Karen, have a son and daughter. He received the Hometown Hero Award in 2019.
• Capt. Brandon Staton, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. A 25-year sheriff’s office veteran and former SWAT commander, Staton serves as a district commander in the southern quadrant of the county. He serves on the State Employees Credit Union Advisory Board and is a lifetime member of Green River Fire & Rescue. A graduate of East Henderson High School, he earned his basic law enforcement certification from A-B Tech and took advanced training from the N.C. Sheriff’s Training and Standards Division. He and his wife, Ashley, and their son and daughter attend Zirconia Missionary Baptist Church. In his free time, Staton enjoys fishing, farming and hunting.
• Sgt. David Wayne Hensley, Fletcher Police Department. Serving in law enforcement for 28 years in Florida and North Carolina, Hensley has completed some 5,000 hours of training through the N.C. Justice Academy and received advanced training in speed enforcement and other specialties. He has volunteered as a speaker at Camp GLO, ride captain of the Patriot Guard and for Wreaths Across America, which this year placed 6,000 wreaths on veterans’ graves. In his free time he enjoys camping and riding motorcycles.
• Senior Trooper Eric Noblett, State Highway Patrol. A 2005 graduate of North Henderson High School, Noblett worked for 10 years at Hendersonville Garden Center and for two years as landscape supervisor for the Biltmore Estate before going into law enforcement 4½ years ago. He still owns and operates his own landscaping business. A former deacon and youth group leader at Refuge Baptist Church, he is currently a member of Bethel Wesleyan Church. He and his wife, Sabrina, have two sons, ages 9 and 2. In his free time he enjoys sports and rooting for Clemson’s teams and “loves anything to do with trucks.”
Suggested in 1996 by then-Sheriff George Erwin, a Kiwanis Club member, the award is named for Kaplan because of his longtime service to the club and the community. Kaplan joined the club in 1955 and served until his death at age 97 in 2007, served as president in 1965, founded the Shoes & Socks program that continues today and served for many years on the Henderson County Library Board.