The Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway organization on Wednesday announced their 2025 Volunteer of the Year winners. The award went to two members: Rick Belhumeur and Elayne Byrd.
The pair were honored earlier in December at a holiday party, hosted by Charboozie Before and After Bar in Flagler Beach. This week the nonprofit issued a statement honoring Belhumeur and Byrd and expanding upon why they were chosen.
Rick Belhumeur
Flagler County residents may recognize Rick Belhumeur as a member of the Flagler Beach City Commission. The Friends of A1A nonprofit is one of multiple community initiatives Belumeur is involved in outside his political service.
“In his first year as President of the Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway, Inc., Flagler Beach City Commissioner Rick Belhumeur has gone above and beyond in his support of the organization,” the Friends of A1A announcement said. “Through his exceptional leadership, enthusiasm, and can-do spirit, Belhumeur has helped advance key initiatives and energize the organization’s mission.
“Notably, he took the initiative to jumpstart and successfully see through to completion the A1A Gateway Monument restoration project, located at the border of Duval and St. Johns counties in Ponte Vedra. His commitment and hands-on approach have been instrumental to the project’s success, and the organization is proud to recognize him as a 2025 Volunteer of the Year.”
Elayne Byrd
Elayne Byrd was highlighted by the Friends of A1A organization for her time spent organizing events to keep SR-A1A clean. She was also credited with organizing garage sales that benefited the cause.
“Also honored as a 2025 Volunteer of the Year is Elayne Byrd, whose outstanding organizational skills and unwavering dedication exemplify the spirit of volunteerism,” Friends of A1A wrote of Byrd. “From coordinating roadside and beach cleanups to rallying participants for the Hammock community garage sale, Byrd is a true team player.
“Her dedication begins early—sometimes as early as 5 a.m.—as she can be found flipping pancakes for the organization’s annual Spoonbills & Sprockets event. Her enthusiasm, reliability, and behind-the-scenes efforts are invaluable to the Friends of A1A.”
About the Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway
According to the organization’s website, the Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway was founded to ‘preserve, promote, and enhance’ the 72-mile stretch of SR-A1A in Flagler and St. Johns counties. The road itself runs from Fernandina Beach in the north to Key West in the south, divided into seven sections.
A portion of SR-A1A has been designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This honor has been bestowed upon 184 roadways in the United States, which can be described as ‘archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, [and/or] scenic’.
The Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway charges $35 annually for membership, or $50 for family membership and $100 for business membership. They meet on the last Wednesday of every month at 2:00 pm, with locations listed as the Hammock Community Center and the St. Augustine Public Library Main Branch.
The executive committee of the Friends of A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway is formed of the following members, according to their website.
- Rick Belhumeur (President)
- Michael Cumpton (Vice President)
- Treasurer (Bob Samuels)
- Elayne Byrd (Secretary)
Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.
