Commissioners surprise retired Judge with Continental Award . . .
Hamilton County Commissioners honored recently-retired Superior Court No. 1 Judge Steven R. Nation with the Continental Award Wednesday afternoon at the State of the County address. The award is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon Hamilton County residents.
“In the 60 years I have lived in Hamilton County, I don’t know of anyone more deserving of the county’s highest award more than my friend Steve,” said Steve Dillinger, president of the Hamilton County Commissioners. “His commitment to the service of this community is unprecedented.”
In addition to receiving the Continental Award, the Commissioners also named a new county trail that runs from Noblesville through Cicero, Arcadia and Atlanta the Steven R. Nation Pathways.
Nation was elected to the bench and took office in 1995. Prior to that, he served as the Hamilton County Prosecutor for four terms. Nation has always been actively involved in the community – coaching youth football, chairing funding drives for the Hamilton County United Way, and serving as a board member for the Hamilton County Red Cross and Noblesville Boys and Girls Club. Nation continues to be heavily involved in the Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program which he helped create. That program is designed to help at-risk students stay in school and out of the juvenile justice system.
Judge Nation’s last day on the bench was Dec. 20, 2018.
The Continental Award is given only after a unanimous vote of the three County Commissioners. Recipients must demonstrate a commitment to service over at least a decade, as well as “an attitude of teamwork, a generosity of spirit, and a desire to selflessly support and celebrate the people and communities of Hamilton County.”