The Kiwanis Club of the Sandhills on Wednesday night presented the Builders Cup to Marshall Berg.

He is a former president of the club and a former president of the Friends of Weymouth Center board. The awards dinner was held at Mid Pines.

The 80-year-old award recognizes distinguished service to the community.

"I would have dressed a little more formally," Berg said as he accepted the award. "By gosh, it was a surprise."

A native of Iowa, Berg is a Navy veteran who spent the bulk of his career working for the State Department as a Foreign Service officer. He has served in countries such as Lebanon, Israel, Afghanistan and Iraq, and is fluent in Arabic and Turkish.

"I spent 38 years mostly overseas," Berg said. "I was fighting the Cold War."

Berg still serves on foreign policy and international relations committees in the Research Triangle and Washington, D.C.

Since retiring to the Sandhills, Berg has served in various capacities with the Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities, helping to raise more than a half million dollars to restore the Boyd House during his three-year term as president.

He is currently president of the Arts Council of Moore County.

"It's a challenge to describe all the organizations and activities this person has either led or given a strong lift," said Dr. John Monroe, who is chairman of the Builder's Cup Committee, in introducing Berg.

Berg also has been the president of the Moore County chapter of the North Carolina Symphony, helping to raise funds to improve the auditorium at Pinecrest. He has served as chairman of the Whispering Pines Planning and Zoning Board.

Berg has been a board member of the Ruth Pauley lecture series, the Lawn and Tennis community and the Arts Council of Moore County.

He received the Meritorious Service Award from President Reagan.

"He is a friend to everyone," said Betty Liddell, who is chairman of the Builders Cup Night Committee. "Whatever you ask him to do, he'll do it."

Though the Builders Cup is given by the Kiwanians, membership in the club is not a requirement for receiving the annual award.

Past Builders Cup recipients have included former Pinehurst Resort owner Richard Tufts, women's golf legend Peggy Kirk Bell, and business and civic leader Felton Capel.

"There are great things that the Kiwanis Club does for the community," Berg said. "It's been a privilege to do all those things."

Katherine Evans can be reached at 693-2480 or by e-mail at kevans@thepilot.com.