An astonished Glenda Clendenin accepted honors from women's organizations Wednesday during a Women's History Month celebration at Sandhills Community College.

Clendenin, now in her 23rd year as Moore County director of elections, was recognized for her "efforts to make democracy work."

Linda Tableman, vice president of the League of Women Voters, made the presentation. The event was co-sponsored by the Moore County Association of University Women.

Another highlight of the program was the showing of the film "Iron Jaw Angels," which tells the story of the early movement for women's suffrage.

The League of Women Voters celebrates its 88th anniversary this year. The league was formed in 1920, the year the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted to ensure the right of women to vote.

CLENDENIN -- After the event, Clendenin said she had no idea that she would be honored.

She was invited because of her emphasis on the right to vote and to participate in the suffrage program. She was unaware that signs proclaiming the honor had been posted across the college campus prior to the event.

In typical fashion, Clendenin had been asked to provide voter registration services prior to the program. She and her deputy, Carol Hambrick, registered several students within the two hours designated for registration.

Clendenin was recognized for her outreach efforts to encourage all eligible residents to register and to vote, including visits into classrooms. She is also recognized for her strict adherence to election and campaign finance laws and her fairness in enforcement of those regulations.

DAY REPORTING -- The Day Reporting Center has been authorized to apply for a fiscal year 2008-2009 grant from the Criminal Justice Partnership Program.

The grant will not exceed $95,853 and will be used to fund the Sentenced Offender Program. The Moore County Board of Commissioners approved the application through the consent agenda at the March 3 meeting.

The Day Reporting Center is the county's response to creation of the Criminal Justice Partnership Act, formed as part of the Structured Sentencing Act of 1994. The partnership provides funding to counties to develop and implement community-based corrections programs to reduce prison and jail overcrowding. The county center has been in operation 13 years.

COBLE -- Congressman Howard Coble had lunch Monday with nine students from the 6th District who are enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

They had lunch on the banks of the Severn River.

Four of the students are graduates of Union Pines High School in Moore County: Michael E. Tem, Jared Scott Smearman, Joshua Nathan Fernandez and Leanne Ferrell. Others graduated from high schools in Guilford, Rowan and Alamance counties. Coble nominated all nine for appointments to the academy.

While at the academy, Coble observed the noon formation of the 4,000-plus brigade of midshipmen. All Middies then proceeded into Bancroft Hall for lunch. Bancroft is the largest dormitory under one roof in the United States.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.