Judge Ann-Marie Carruth has always had a love for this country.
“I’ve become that person who cries when the fighter jets fly by or when I see a little one waving an American flag,” Carruth said.
It was that love that led her to where she is today.
For the past 2 1/2 years she’s served as a Justice of the Peace for Lubbock County.
“I feel very honored that I get to do that and hopefully execute what our founding fathers had envisioned for us all those years ago,” explains Carruth.
From her work in the courtroom to her work in the community, she says it all goes hand in hand.
“Hot dogs and fireworks and hearing cases everyday, to me they’re very similar,” said Carruth. “We don’t usually have fireworks in the courtroom, but it happens.”
That’s why for the past five years she’s coordinated the 4th of July family parade in the Rush Neighborhood, a tradition that continues to grow every year.
“It’s really a sense of community and family and friends,” Carruth said. “It gets more fun every year because people hear about it and it builds off of that. We had about 200 people this year. I hope that it’s something that all of the kids in the neighborhood look back when they’re married and have their own children and say when I was a kid we used to do this neighborhood parade.”
Carruth says this is what being an American is all about.
And says she’s lucky that she gets to show her pride day in and day out, not just on Independence Day, but all year round.
“I don’t feel like it’s a service that I’m providing,” Carruth said. “I feel like it’s my duty because this community has been so good to me I just want to replenish what we’ve gotten out of it.
To find an organization for you to volunteer with, contact the Volunteer Center of Lubbock at (806) 747-0551.
