09-04-2025
Pollocksville Mayor receives Order of the Long Leaf Pine
POLLOCKSVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — In the small town of Pollocksville in Jones County, Jay Bender has served as the Mayor for 42 years. On Tuesday night, Mayor Bender walked into Town Hall for just a normal board meeting, but town officials, friends and family surprised him with the honor of a lifetime.
'I had no idea, it was just a complete shock' said Pollocksville Mayor Jay Bender. 'I didn't know why my wife was coming with me to start and then when I saw my daughter, I knew there had to be something because she came from Raleigh.'
Mayor Bender is now the recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
People who know him well say the honor is well deserved 'He is all about Pollocksville. He is a great historian and would be happy to tell you anything you want to know about Pollocksville' Pollocksville's Mayor Pro-Tempore Sherry Henderson said. 'But he is also oriented for other areas, he serves on the airport board and does stuff in New Bern. He is just very civic minded and is always giving to his community. He wants what is best for Eastern North Carolina.'
Whether it was hurricane flood recovery or just being an active person in the community, Mayor Bender says he loves his role and the Town of Pollocksville. 'I just want the best for my town,' Bender said. 'Its never about me its about the town. What we can do to make it a better place.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
