2 days ago
Former Beaufort mayor to receive highest award in S.C.
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV) — A former mayor for the City of Beaufort will be crowned by South Carolina state representative Shannon Erickson with the highest award in South Carolina.
Billy Keyserling will receive the Palmetto Award for his dedication to public service for over 50 years.
Keyserling has worked on Capitol Hill, was a state legislature, a city councilman, reigned Beaufort for 12 years, and now runs two non-profit organizations.
Keyserling told WSAV that he's received many awards in his lifetime, but this is one of the highest honors.
'I'm very excited about it. I'm honored. I'm humbled,' said Keyserling. 'I'm appreciative of Stacy Applegate, who basically, unbeknownst to me, started a campaign to talk to Representative Erickson and got a bunch of letters written by people I've worked with over the last 50 years. And I was selected to do it. So, I'd say honored, humbled and have a lot of gratitude for the people I've worked with over the years.'
Keyserling said he chose to have the award presented at city hall, because that's the place he called his second home for many years and did some of his best work.
The award will be presented on Tuesday, June 10 at Beaufort's city council meeting.
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