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Dan Pearman was recognized at this year’s Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association convention in Murfreesboro for his leadership efforts with Claiborne County Farmers Helping Farmers.

He was awarded the John Bartee Distinguished Service Award for his leadership in working with others in the area in organizing multiple hay convoys to Cocke, Greene, and Unicoi counties to assist livestock producers in those areas with feeding their animals in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In all over 130 loads of donated hay, feed and other supplies were provided to those farmers.

“Danny is to be commended for taking the initiative to organize these convoys to these distressed communities in East Tennessee during a time of unprecedented circumstances,” said James Acuff, the District 8 Vice President of the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association which includes Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, Anderson, Knox/Union, Grainger, Jefferson, Sevier, Scott, & Hancock Counties.

Acuff shared a video on Facebook of Pearman speaking after accepting the award. TCA Executive Vice President Charles Hord.

After going through a couple of life-threatening medical conditions, Pearman said he felt God had kept him alive for a reason. He also told the crowd that when he saw the devastating flood damage from Hurricane Helene he started texting his friends about donating hay to help and they all responded in a positive way.

“I can’t take credit for that, it was those people. But I think the reason that this all came about was not because of me or because of all those people who gave hay and feed and so on. It was an act that God wanted to see done, I truly believe that,” Pearman said to his fellow Cattlemen. “If you ever find yourself in an emergency like this, don’t think that you’re the only one, don’t think that you don’t have any friends. This is a family sitting right here in this room. It’s a very strong family that has a lot of influence with a lot of people and you can move mountains if you set your mind to it.”

Acuff added that Pearman received the only standing ovation during the awards ceremony.