RAEFORD – Cape Fear Valley Health’s Hoke Hospital honored late Sheriff Hubert Peterkin on Tuesday with the unveiling of a community room and the announcement of a new scholarship in his honor.
Family and community members joined hospital officials for the ceremony. During the ceremony, a large bronze memorial plaque outside the community room was unveiled, the health system said in a release. The Sheriff Hubert Peterkin Community Room is on the second floor of the hospital.
Peterkin, who died on Oct. 22, 2021, spent 34 years in law enforcement, the release said.
“He loved his community, and it was expressed by way of the service he gave as a career law enforcement officer,” Roxie Wells, president of Hoke Hospital, said in the release. “He was dedicated to ensuring justice for victims of crime and their families, but he was just as passionate about ensuring justice through the legal system for those who committed crimes. It may seem like an oxymoron to be passionate about but that is exactly who he was.”
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Along with Wells, the ceremony also included remarks from current Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil; Peterkin’s son, Antonio Peterkin; and Cape Fear Valley Health Chief Executive Officer Mike Nagowski.
Capt. Steven Blakley of the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office said he thought the ceremony and dedication were nice tributes to Peterkin.
“It’s known that there’s a tight bond between law enforcement officers, but the bond between law enforcement officers and medical staff is a big bond, too,” Blakley said. “We rely on each other for day-to-day operations. They help us, we help them, and this is a good thing for the community.”
Sabrina Brooks, vice president of Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation, announced the establishment of the Sheriff Hubert Peterkin Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will provide a $1,000 educational scholarship for the dependent of a Hoke County law enforcement officer who will be attending a two- or four-year college to pursue a degree in health sciences.
“Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation is incredibly honored to establish a scholarship fund for future healthcare professionals who are dependents of Hoke County law enforcement in memory of the late Sheriff Peterkin who gave so selflessly to his community,’’ Brooks said in the release. “His legacy will forever be embedded in this community and with the foundation through this scholarship fund.”
Donations are being accepted with the goal to endow the scholarship so the awards may continue in perpetuity. The fund will be endowed once it reaches $25,000. More information about donating to the scholarship fund can be found at www.cfvfoundation.org.
