Pastor receives St. Augustine’s highest honor

The Rev. Laverne March is the latest person to receive St. Augustine’s highest honor — and she’s likely to be the last for a time.

The pastor of Living Waters Ministries on St. Augustine’s west side was honored Monday night with the city’s Order of La Florida award, an honor given to citizens to recognize their service to St. Augustine and the surrounding community.

March was nominated for the award by City Commissioner Cynthia Garris, who spoke highly of the pastor’s community advocacy.

“She has organized a group of people aptly named ‘Pride in the West Side,’” Garris said during the award ceremony, “whose purpose is to turn the current ashes of despair into a beautiful place that will offer hope, self esteem and healing to the West City neighborhood.”

Before working in St. Augustine, March attended Florida A&M University and worked in Washington, D.C. Once in St. Augustine, she began working to improve the quality of life for residents on St. Augustine’s west side, painting and repairing residents’ homes with her group.

March is only the 26th person to receive the Order of La Florida recognition since the award was created in 1975. Her award comes just two weeks after St. Augustine recognized veteran’s advocate Bill Dudley with the award.

Per the city’s rules, no more than 10 Order of La Florida recipients can be alive at a time. As March marks the 10th, it won’t be until one of the recipients passes away that another person can receive the recognition.

March thanked the city, her team and God, but she said the work she does in the community is often reward enough.

“I don’t do it for recognition. I don’t do it for any of that stuff,” March said upon receiving her award. “It’s just that God puts on my heart to fight for all people.”

A full list of the Order of La Florida recipients is available on the city of St. Augustine’s website.

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