Challenge coin honors Brown

  • Chief Rob Stuart of Blue Ridge Police Department, together with Tony Cavallaro of The Vine in downtown Blue Ridge, presented each member of Brown’s family with their own challenge coin. Shown during the presentation are, from left, Brandon Quintrell, Chelsey Quintrell, Jaxson Quintrell, Mason Ramey, Brady Ramey, Kayla Fortenberry, and Brown’s son, Dan Brown.
    Chief Rob Stuart of Blue Ridge Police Department, together with Tony Cavallaro of The Vine in downtown Blue Ridge, presented each member of Brown’s family with their own challenge coin. Shown during the presentation are, from left, Brandon Quintrell, Chelsey Quintrell, Jaxson Quintrell, Mason Ramey, Brady Ramey, Kayla Fortenberry, and Brown’s son, Dan Brown.
  • A challenge coin honoring Blue Ridge Police Officer Hobert Brown’s sacrifice was revealed at last week’s meeting of the Blue Ridge City Council.
    A challenge coin honoring Blue Ridge Police Officer Hobert Brown’s sacrifice was revealed at last week’s meeting of the Blue Ridge City Council.

    The Blue Ridge City Council and the Blue Ridge Police Department has honored the family of officer Hobert Brown, who was shot and killed in December of 1959 while on duty. This special presentation took place at the Blue Ridge City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting last Tuesday.

        Brown’s family members were given challenge coins, a coin with tradition and sentiment that is meant to be carried with the owner everywhere.

    The tradition began with a veteran who had been taken by French soldiers in WWI, and the only way he credited his escape from certain death was by having his own challenge coin on him. That coin represented his battalion. The French released him, seeing that he was an ally because of the coin.

    The “challenge” part of the coin tradition is for the owner to carry it at all times.

    Chief Rob Stuart of Blue Ridge Police Department and downtown Blue Ridge business owner Tony Cavallaro of The Vine, presented each person of Brown’s family who was at the  meeting with their own challenge coin.