Exemplary Volunteer
Matthew Cornett
Volunteer award winner: ‘The greatest reward you can ever receive is to give’ By Randy Capps
A common refrain for volunteers is the concept that it’s better to give than to receive. It’s a simple notion, but one that drives Matthew Cornett to give back. It is for that giving spirit that he has been named 2020 Johnston Now Honors Exemplary Volunteer award. Cornett lives in Princeton with his wife, Kerin, and two children, Isabella and Lucas, a senior and freshman, respectively, at Princeton High School. Interestingly enough, he already spends his day job serving others.
the Highway Patrol,” he said. “For me, what that looks like is providing support to them as an agency. New troopers who come out, I’m there to help them through that process. Troopers who are going through life crisis, I’m there for that. Probably the most non-glorious part about it is doing death notifications when people are killed in car accidents. Which is hard.
He serves as the lead pastor for Princeton Church, and it’s a job that uniquely qualifies him for his chosen volunteer efforts.
“I know this may sound weird, but I consider it an honor to be there. To help support them. Somebody has to do it, and when you really think about it, law enforcement have to keep a certain persona as law enforcement where I’m able to be there as more of an emotional and spiritual support for people who have felt that great loss.”
“For the past three years, I have been a chaplain here in Johnston County for
Recently, when flood waters created a search and rescue situation for the
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Johnston County Sheriff’s Department, he reached out to Sheriff Steve Bizzell to offer to help in a similar way. “That probably embodies what I do,” he said. “Just making sure that they understand that there’s people out there who are supporting them and backing them up in the middle of crises. Can you imagine being on a K9 unit and going through the basin, trying to find the bodies of two small children? It’s a difficult thing.” It can be tough, but helping people is a personal passion for Cornett. “At the end of the day, I love people,” he said. “I know a lot of people would say that, but I really feel that is a gift of mine. To be able to connect with people. To speak to people, to meet them wherever their need is at. What really drove
