On March 7th, 2026, the Cherokee County Educational Foundation hosted its annual Celebration of Education Gala, a night dedicated to the community and education in Cherokee County.
This year the foundation was proud to honor two exceptional alumni for their dedication and service. CCEF has long recognized the contributions of its alumni at the gala, and this year, Rick Roberts and Debbie Groover Buckner were the distinguished honorees for their remarkable impact and continued support of education in the community.
Rick Roberts
2026 Alumnus of the Year
Rick Roberts, a Cherokee High School alumnus and longtime Ball Ground mayor, has been named the 2026 Alumni of the Year by the Cherokee County Educational Foundation. A graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science degree, Roberts went on to build a distinguished career in finance, spending 20 years at Citizens Bank, rising to Executive Vice President, before helping organize Cherokee Bank, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer.
Roberts' public service career began in 1985 when friends encouraged him to run for Ball Ground City Council. He was first elected mayor in 1988 and held that role for nearly four decades before retiring last year. During that time, he transformed the city in lasting ways, overseeing the creation of a public library, a citywide sanitary sewer system, a new City Hall, Calvin Farmer Park's 35 acres of recreational space, and more than $1 million in downtown streetscape improvements that helped shape Ball Ground's now-thriving historic Main Street.
Beyond City Hall, Roberts has contributed to the broader region through service on the Cherokee County Development Authority, the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Georgia Municipal Association where he served as District President, and Reinhardt University's Board of Trustees where he now holds emeritus status. He has also been a dedicated supporter of History Cherokee, helping to preserve the county's heritage. Described by those who know him as a visionary and dedicated public servant, Roberts' decades of leadership have left an indelible mark on Cherokee County and the communities he has served.
Debbie Groover Buckner
2026 Alumna of the Year
Buckner's excellence extended beyond the college court. She went on to compete internationally, earning a Gold Medal as a starter on the USA team at the 1979 World University Games and participating in the 1984 USA All-Stars Olympic Exhibition Series.
She was inducted into the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame in its inaugural year in 2003 and into the Cherokee High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, recognition that reflects the lasting impression she made on the sport across decades.
After her playing career, Buckner returned home to Cherokee County, where she spent 33 years as a Physical Education teacher and basketball coach before retiring in 2019. Teaching at schools including Dean Rusk Middle School, Woodstock High School, and Knox Elementary, she built a reputation as a beloved educator who poured herself into helping young people discover their potential.