A nonprofit founder who harnessed the healing power of horses. An award-winning landscape architect with a passion for urban green spaces. The leader of an ecumenical ministry that offers food assistance and English classes.
Samford’s 2025 Medallion Award recipients—a trio of silent heroes from across the Birmingham area—exemplify kindness and dedication through their civic life.
Bios for the 2025 Medallion Award recipients:
Ray J. Flynn, director of the Ministry Center at Green Springs
For 20 years, Flynn has joined his wife Sandra in leading the ecumenical organization serving the community primarily through its food bank and English-as-a-second-language courses. Flynn places the highest value on the client's dignity as MCGS seeks to be the hands and feet of God. Flynn and MCSG have partnered with Samford in several capacities, including functioning as the community service site for the inaugural cohort of Leadership Samford.
“In 2005, we felt like there was a great need here and plenty of opportunity to serve others and be the presence of Christ in this community,” Flynn said. “We tried to develop our programs based on the needs around us. So we developed a food pantry, and I think in the first year, we served maybe 12 families a month. Now we're serving 150 families at once.
“The key to what we do is the fact that we try to operate based on relationships. People are people—they have the same characteristics, the same needs, no matter what their socioeconomic status is. They have the need for respect. They have the need to not be lonely. So we just relate to them as a human being. We don't relate to them as a status. My hope and prayer for each of our clients is that they will feel accepted when they leave here. I want them to feel better, feel more hopeful and feel like they have a good friend here.”
Joy Hicks O’Neal, founder of The Red Barn
O’Neal founded the nonprofit organization that provides equine-assisted services to children and adults with disabilities or traumatic experiences, especially those living in low-income families. The staff of 14 full-time employees delivers more than 4,500 hours of direct programming each year with an annual budget exceeding $1 million. It is the largest equine-assisted services organization in Alabama and one of the 30 largest in the nation. O’Neal has vast knowledge and experience in nonprofit resource development, strategic planning, event planning, community relations, property management and equine-assisted services.
“I think that when God creates all of us, there are these desires that He puts down deep in our heart, and that we're called to make the world a better place," O’Neal said. "From the blessings that we’ve been given, we have a calling to help others.
“It's special for the kids who come to the Red Barn to have a place where they can belong. Time and time again, I've seen children who've had disabilities or been through a traumatic experience come to the barn and they are able to ride horses. It improves their bodies, their minds, their emotional health.”
Jane Reed Ross, renowned landscape architect
Practicing landscape architecture for 35 years, Ross builds upon experience throughout the Southeast as well as Washington, D.C. and Queensland, Australia. Ross currently works with and has been associated with Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood for the past decade. She previously served as the principal landscape architect at Ross Land Design for 15 years. She led projects in the direction of sustainable design in the following award-winning and beloved civic spaces: Red Rock Trail Master Plan for Jefferson County, Rotary Trail, Pinson Park, Lincoln Park, Jones Valley Complete Streets, Enon Ridge Trail, Mountain Brook High School Concourse, Railroad Park, Homewood Central Park, Homewood Shades Creek Greenway and the Birmingham Children’s Zoo. Combining quality design with environmentally holistic solutions, Ross has created spaces with a sense of place and presence based on an ethic of function and art.
"The beauty of a quality space, how it connects in the community and how it brings people together, has always appealed to me. I’m a very fortunate person. I’ve gotten to work on so many different projects, and I've met so many great people and seen projects come together that improve people’s lives and the quality of our environment," Ross said.
“Quite often people ask me: ‘When are they going to do this, or when are they going to do that?’ And I always say, 'Who is they?' We are ‘they.’ We are the ones that make things happen. So if you want a park, you want a trail, you want a sidewalk in your neighborhood, you are 'they.' You can bring the people together and work toward making it happen."
PAST WINNERS: See the history of the Medallion Awards
Established in 2006, the Samford Medallion Awards seek to honor individuals whose ideas and actions have been largely unheralded, and who are responsible for deeds of kindness, actions of record, rather than heading organizations, holding titles, announcing plans and intentions. The awards are a direct reflection of the university’s strategic plan, Fidelitas. Through the community celebration pillar, Samford aims to engage the Homewood, Birmingham and broader communities around the university in partnership, service and cultural understanding.
“Thank you for allowing us to tell your stories that are so important for us,” President Beck A. Taylor told the Medallion recipients. “Thank you for the incredible ways you are impacting the lives of members of our community and our communities. May God bless each of you as you continue to serve.”
Debra Haralson, Samford’s director of community engagement, addressed the congregation of Samford students, faculty and staff, as well as friends and family members of the recipients. CBS-42 anchor David Lamb emceed the event.
Taylor’s closing remarks included a prayer thanking the Lord “for the opportunity today to celebrate your goodness, for the ways you have inspired your people to love their neighbors in impactful ways and to make a real difference for your kingdom.”
